Checkouts by Cynthia Rylant

In the short story Checkouts by Cynthia Rylant, the theme not going for what you really want most can lead to regret. This is created by protagonist choices, characters feeling, and characters thoughts.

The girl didn't bring her cart up to his checkout and he let her and pretended she wasn't there. “-The girl didn't bring her cart up to the bagboys checkout when her shopping was done, and the bagboy let her leave, pretending no notice of her,” this is what they will start regretting about. After this it was too late for the bagboy to make a move, and the girl didn't come back.

When they wanted something which is each other, it was within their reach, they were so close but failed. “It is odd how we sometimes deny ourselves the very please we have longed for and which is finally within our reach,” they both lost each other and regret what they've done

After the characters moved on from each other they met again at the movies. “Some crossed paths standing in line with their dates at the movie theater,” after they lost their chance at the supermarket they both met again at the theaters. What both of the characters thought when they saw each other is from the last time they saw each other but didn't go for it. But standing in line at the theaters they've changed and forgot how much they really wanted each other. After their chance is gone they both learned to move on. “When one is moving off the bus, the other is moving on,” even though they met each other again at the theaters, they had a spare chance to go up and talk but didn't take that chance and remained where they are.

The bagboy and the girl were both attracted to each other but choose to not do anything about it, which leads them to feeling regret. They both waited to long for one of them to make a move, and that made them lose eachother. But they learned from their mistake and moved on from their regrets to continue