Lost elephant

You are not gonna believe this. In a previous post I told you how I bought a tuba, and how I was waiting by the door everyday for it to arrive. Well, guess what? Yup, lost in the mail. How do you lose a tuba? I have ordered almost everything in the mail, by UPS, FEDEX, DHL, and never (too late to knock on wood) lost anything. It was supposed to be here in five days. It was sent on November 17th. We NEED it by Friday next week to leave for the audition. When I talked to guy who shipped it, he said, "How could they lose it?, it is like losing an elephant!!!" He assured me that they would find it on Monday, or ship another one. The problem I have now is that my son has never even held this type of instrument, and next weekend he has to audition with it.