The anecdote is there to establish a pattern of sloppiness and carelessness and unnecessary risk-taking. Regardless of whether it, ex post, affected Geodesic's

The anecdote is there to establish a pattern of sloppiness and carelessness and unnecessary risk-taking. Regardless of whether it, ex post, affected Geodesic's decision, it clearly could have affected it ex ante, and he should not have taken such a completely unnecessary risk, which helps establish his unfitness and why the LSD was the final straw/excuse.