Did your buddy ever explain why he thinks the OP matters that much, or was it just a vibe thing for him? Here is the deal: for most shows, skipping is fine. The OP is a recap and a song, and if you already know the song, you are not losing plot. But some shows build the OP and ED as part of the story, like when the visuals change after a big event, or when they swap the song to mess with you. My rule is simple. Watch it once, then skip unless the show is known for hiding stuff in there, like Madoka or a few others where the OP flat out spoils or teases things. So your friend is not wrong, but he is also making it a bigger deal than it needs to be. If you are not the type to catch little details anyway, you are not missing half the point, you are just watching it your way.

That Tuesday off work stings more than the $250 if you ask me. So you basically paid $250 for the privilege of sitting by your phone all day while some guy in an office somewhere played the "driver is running behind" tape on loop. The broker probably pocketed your deposit and never even posted the load. Those deposits are usually gone unless you paid by credit card, and even then you have to fight it and win the chargeback. Call your card company and dispute it if you can, that is the only shot most people get.