Sindel Pellion – Beautiful, talented, generous, a real sweetheart both ingame and out. If you haven’t heard of her, go learn about her. If you’ve had the pleasure of meeting her, you know what I’m talking about.

I’m even more fortunate to be able to call Sindel a friend. Her and my wife got along famously at the last Fanfest we attended, and we keep trying to make plans to visit Sindel and Bagehi at their home in Florida. Sin and I get to talk via Skype every now and then; mostly my fault it doesn’t happen more. So when I see the Happy Birthday notification for Sin in Skype, of course I have to do something about it.

Roc Wieler: Happy Birthday!

Sin: Thanks! Long time!

Roc Wieler: I know, I know. I’m sorry about that. Let me make it up to you. What can I get you for your birthday?

Sin: Well I’ve been streaming live to Twitch all night so I could really go for a pizza – Meat Lover’s combo from Pizza Hut!

Roc Wieler: Consider it done, darlin. 🙂

Sin: You’re the best!

I quickly go online and find the desired combo. I start filling out the order form, most pleased with myself for this small gesture to my friend. She deserves happiness not only on her birthday, but every day of her life. I get to the part where I’m asked what address to send the pizza to. It is then that I go back to Skype and notice that Sin is located in Texas, not Florida as I would expect.

Roc Wieler: What are you doing in Texas? You guys move from Florida?

Sin: Nope. Always lived in Texas with my grandmother. Been to Disney World though.

A shock of panic bolted through my chest.

Roc Wieler: Need your address for the pizza. What’s your Twitch stream URL?

I get the address in Texas and madly scramble for the Twitch stream. It is there that I discover that “Sin” is not my beloved Sindel Pellion, but rather a scruffy, hairy, dishevelled male gamer in his mid to late twenties … I have no idea who this person is or how they are on my Skype list.

Part of me is embarrassed. Part of me is completely furious at myself for being such an idiot. Part of me is laughing at the absurdity of the situation and how many men have done things far worse online for “women”.

I decide “what the hell” and finish ordering the pizza. I get stuck on the zip code part, as in Canada we use postal codes, and the online form won’t accept more than five characters. I use the Texas zip code, figuring it will probably get rejected as usually card security requires the postal code matches the one on file.

Nope. Order confirmed.

Roc Wieler: Your pizza is on the way. Happy Birthday dude!

Sin: You’re the best, man!

As if this wasn’t funny enough, it was an hour later I see the Skype from Sin.

Sin: Dude, they say your credit card got declined.

Roc Wieler: Hmmmm, odd. No, wait. I know. It was the postal code.

I explained it to Sin.

Sin: Ah, makes sense. I used my Paypal money. Think you could send me the $20?

Roc Wieler: Sure, of course I can. Nobody should pay for pizza on their birthday.

And true to my word, I got his email address and sent him the money for the pizza.

The moral of today’s story? Always measure twice, cut once.

PS. I fixed the issue.