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Like a master of espionage obsessed with his prey, I planned, stalked and dreamed for months of grabbing the new CD box sets by The Beatles, which were released on Sept. 9.

The grail of this search was The Beatles Mono Box Set -- which had been billed as a limited edition for hardcore fans and collectors. It was to be released alongside a mass-market set of stereo remasters.

The big appeal of mono is that the group released versions of such landmark albums as "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "The Beatles" (known as The White Album) in mono that were significantly different in sound and mix from the familiar stereo releases.

After the '60s, though, mono mixes disappeared.

This mission saw nail-biting suspense, moments of elation, indecision and dejected outrage.

When Apple announced the releases -- mono and improved stereo -- in April, it was, for me, like being told I would get an extra birthday or Christmas this year.

The remasters took four years, four engineers and meticulous attention to detail in copying and expanding the refreshed sound.

In mid-August I carefully went to Amazon.com, which had the best price, and placed my order for both sets.

Then, disaster struck. Mono was sold out.

I was a hopeless character in a John Hughes movie screaming as the camera zoomed in on my wild eyes. I was a mom empty handed on Black Friday after a run on Tickle Me Elmos.

Collector's Choice Music listed the sets, but seemed fuzzy about a guarantee.

On that sad day, I found myself sitting in a Chick-fil-A, away from my computer, on my way to an interview. Nearly panicked, I had a great idea. So I called my only hope. My friend the obsessed, always enthusiastic, Lifetime Beatlemaniac.

John, who had, of course, already placed his order, is always sympathetic. He's obsessed, but pragmatic. I wondered if Amazon of Canada still had mono sets.

I kept my voice low to avoid stares.

John leapt to his computer and instantly located the set. "In Stock" was all we needed to see. He placed the order.

It all reminded me of the complicated schemes I used to engineer before computers, before cell phones, to outwit the system and deploy friends and family to score tickets for the Rolling Stones, U2, Bruce Springsteen. (Let's forget about the time I made my long-suffering mom wait in sub-freezing temperatures for three hours to get Springsteen tickets. It's a dark tale.)

Just for insurance, I ordered a second mono set from Collector's Choice.

Then came the wait. The ongoing excitement about the releases plus the suspense -- this was more than my sensitive nerves could take.

My wife, of course, has replaced my mom as the victim of collateral damage.

"You won't drive me crazy when you get these, will you?" she said, noting that it really would not be necessary for me to tell her about every piece of enthralling trivia the sets were sure to bring.

I called Collector's Choice three times. I finally got a consumer representative to tell me that my mono set would be available.

Meanwhile, articles appeared on blogs. Outraged fans wrung hands. It was a Beatle meltdown.

Shipping time neared.

T-minus five days.

Collector's Choice weighed in -- my package had shipped. Then Amazon.com -- my stereo set had shipped. Still nothing from Amazon Canada.

The pace over Labor Day quickened. The UPS tracking site was my constant companion. Sept. 4, Lexington, Ky., departure scan ... Sept. 5 Knoxville, Tenn., departure scan ... Sept. 8, Greensboro, N.C., arrival scan ... Sept. 9, Winston-Salem, N.C. ... delivered.

Hardly a disaster, the mono box even came a day early, Sept. 8. I was able to cancel the Amazon Canada order. Thanks for the insurance.

Now it's over. Was it worth it?

Let me get back to you. I'm still recovering.

Contact Richard M. Barron at 373-7371 or richard.barron@news-record.com