Another dumb question...distributor issues.

Ok, so it's not the MAF or the Converter that is the issue, it's the distributor.

The car is a 97 626 with a 2.0 M/T.

I called around for a distributor, everyone needs "rotor cam" measurments. I don't have anyone that can do this for me, and have no idea what it is. If I drop the car off without the part, god knows how long I'll end up waiting to get it. It's my *only* form of transportation. I really don't want to do this.
The guy at the NAPA store was adamant that you couldn't use the number off the distributor to interchange.

I'm really frustrated, I don't know what I'm supposed to do or how to go about doing it. I need this part. ??? Is there another way to find out what distributor I need?? TIA,
M