Mystery solved. Thanks for all your help guys.
As it turns out I picked one of the dumbest, m0+#3rfu¢€ing shops in Westchester.
Or it is quite possible the lack of competition allows bottom-feeders who should be sorting glass to get an FFL so they can feed their own hobby without actually keeping up with the rules/laws/etc. and they're all this stupid in this county?
I called the day before the second 30 period was set to expire and the kid tells me it was a "proceed", it had turned "proceed" 6 days previous. I went nuts on him. "You co$ukers were supposed to call, told me you checked status every day, I'll own your license, etc. He said, "chill out just come in and pick up your gun, the NICS expires tomorrow, we choose at 6"
I told him I was in the city and would be there by 7.
When I got there the owner was waiting, paperwork ready holding a pen out to me while I laid into him. He started stuttering bullshit about how the new guy screwed up. I signed and said "no, you old guys screwed up by no training him properly". Stupid bastard never even brought up the transfer fee.
If any of you know of a good FFL in Northern Westchester I'm shopping.
You can skip the one closest to Lake Gleneida, they're a buncha douchebags.