Are You Kidding Me?

When my son and I got together to celebrate his birthday the end of April, we found ourselves wandering through various electronics' stores--and wandered right into some great bargains, including the HP laser printer I've been threatening to buy for about a year.

Brought it--and a spare ink cartridge--home and waited for the old HP to die, which it did today. No problem: just hook up the new printer and finish the job.

Ha.

Following the directions, I inserted the CD and began the installation process, right up to the point where I was warned NOT to attach the power cord or the USB printer cable until prompted to do so by the installation program. I emptied the packing box, tore open the packaging, searched the floor because I couldn't find the USB printer cable.

I read the box and couldn't find anything in the multiple languages about the USB printer cable, so I began rereading and finally found it: USB printer cable required (not included).

Are you kidding me? It's not in GREAT BIG LETTERS to buy a darned USB printer cable BEFORE leaving the store and, more importantly, before beginning installation?

I stopped the CD, got dressed, and drove off to find ... there are no computer stores in my community, and the local K-Mart does not stock that item. I'm not in the mood to drive 25 miles round-trip to find an open store that stocks the USB printer cable, so I'll go on a search tomorrow after work.

Meanwhile, I have tomorrow's test on a flash drive and hope that there is a working copy machine somewhere on campus so I can run the test prior to first period. Worst case scenario? I'll print out 40 copies on my classroom printer and hand staple them: waste of paper and my time, but oh, well, what's new?

Once my home printer is installed, I'm sending the letter I've already composed to HP!