Gary lived with the reminder every day.

Sometimes it was visible. Sometimes it was a sensation. Sometimes it was just the memory of how quickly arrogance had turned into pain. However it manifested, it stayed with him.

He didn’t hide it.

When people asked, he told the truth. Not dramatically. Not defensively. Just honestly. Most listened. Some laughed. A few winced in sympathy.

The tooth problem had ended, but not cleanly. There was damage. Lasting evidence of decisions made too late and lessons learned the hard way.

Oddly, that made Gary more grounded than he’d been in years.

He no longer pretended consequences were abstract. He lived with one. And because of that, he was more careful. More thoughtful. Less inclined to test limits just to see what would happen.

This ending wasn’t glamorous. But it was real.

Gary stood in front of the mirror one morning, studying his reflection without judgement. This was the cost. He could live with it.

The story could close here, marked by survival and permanent reminder. Or it could continue, reframed as a warning turned into wisdom.

Gary didn’t rush the choice.

End the story with scars and honesty → Page 110

Carry the lesson forward anyway → Page 81