I appreciate the condolences. 😄 Thanks, everyone.
Barb - Once seen, I could not unsee those scratches. And they were evident enough that another coat of finish wouldn't have disguised them, especially this style of finish that doesn't build-up.
Earl - You are a better man than I. I made it to repairing one time (well, maybe three if you consider some attempts as spot repairs). The spot repairs would have been fine if I had only used Rubio 2C black directly over the oak. But because I used their pre-color product first, the repair was not so simple. So if you plan to use a pre-color, be extra diligent when checking your final sanding prior to staining.