I pulled the little cardboard tag out of my post office box that said, “You have a package,” and I went happily to the counter. I expected it would either be the pens I had ordered or the cellophane bags.

We ordered the pens and the bags for the purpose of advertising, and I’ve eagerly awaited the opportunity to spread the word. So I opened the box and grabbed a pen to look at the imprint. No! It had a misspelling. 500 pens with the wrong information on them.

I couldn’t wait to check my e-mail order to see if it was my fault. I typed out the information on an imaginary keyboard. How could I type an “i” instead of a “u” I wondered. http://www.lifespringchirch.com would never work.

I found the order. Relief! It was not my fault. I could call the company and request a corrected order. They were very polite and helpful. “The new delivery date is January 19,” she said.

But what am I going to do with the misprinted pens? The lady told me I could give them away or donate them to an agency. It is my choice.

Now that I’ve got the mystery solved, I’m struck with the humor or sadness of this. If I give these away, 500 people will be frustrated by the fact that the web address printed on the pens leads them to a dead end.

Which is like a lot of other “information” that is handed out today. Dead end.