I mentioned the incident again to him briefly the next day, after the Q&A. He was in a much better mood, and, like I somewhat figured, was lead to believe in the conversation that his immediate reaction may have been fatalistic.
I also see it as an unlikely thing that they’d not have detailed information, regardless of a hard copy’s existence, to get them through manufacturing. But I was told what I was told. And there’s certainly no reason to think there’s a conspiracy involved.