I've bought a new computer. The one I'm using now is a bit old and slow and there's only room for one old and slow item in my study. I needed a machine with — and I hope I don't lose you with these technical terms — shit loads of memory to cope with big, hungry software. Anyway, I saw a good deal on a laptop with a separate 19" monitor and put in the order. So far, so good.

The shipping company called me on Monday to organise a delivery date. Thursdays are the only days on which I don't have classes, so I decided to take today off to wait at home for the courier. I had a meeting scheduled for the afternoon but I could send my apologies for that, so it wouldn't be a big problem. (And it wouldn't be any sort of problem if the courier dropped by in the morning.)

Still so far, so good. I stayed at home this morning, marking assignments and finishing off the post below. At 11.30 am, the courier company called to organise a time for delivery.

'Aren't you supposed to deliver it today?' I said.

'Sorry. Only just got the paperwork.'

'But I've taken the day off work. I won't be able to do that again until next Thursday.'

'Next Thursday it is, then.'

'But — '

Dead line.

I wasn't happy but there didn't seem to be an alternative solution. And it meant I could go to the meeting. So off I went.

When I emerged from the meeting at a little before 5pm, I received a call from the courier. He was waiting for me outside my house. Fortunately, I was only about half an hour away, so he didn't have to wait too long. But he only had one box to deliver.

I was confused. He was confused. We stood around scratching our heads — until we worked out that the computer and monitor were sent at two different times. Not terribly complicated but it floored us. I have the laptop. The monitor will arrive next Thursday. Maybe. Now I ask myself whether I will be capable of using the computer, considering its mere delivery stumped me.