A book arrived while I was taking a nap. I heard the thump, and went “Yay! My copy of Entropia! At last!” I jumped up, grabbed the package, opened it, and…

Funny, I don’t remember ordering the Manual of Perioperative Care In Adult Cardiac Surgery, Fourth Edition.

Also, my name’s not John, and this isn’t Philadelphia.

After a quick check in the mirror to make sure this wasn’t a Quantum Leap thing, I called Amazon. Their computers are down, so they told me to call back in an hour.

I am starting to wonder if the gods are conspiring to make sure that I never get a copy of Entropia. Somewhere, perhaps Dr. John is feeling the same way about his manual. (I wish this frustration on no man, but it’s nice to think that somewhere, someone is staring at their copy of Entropia going “Wait–what? This isn’t about sewing those little tubes together!”

Update: Amazon was very, very nice again, and the man on the other end sounded mortified–more that I got the wrong packing slip than the wrong book, by the sounds of it, but I can understand that. In his position, books come and go, but packing slips matter! So he’s rushing me out a copy of Entropia, second day delivery, and a mailing label to return the book, and has noted Dr. John’s account so that they know the book went far afield.

“Thank you for being honest,” he said, as I thanked him and signed off.

This amuses me–what am I gonna do with a manual for cardiac surgery care?–but I can see his point.