Slow Yeast

I wanted to make an English Pale today but was stopped by a very slow starting yeast.   I popped the inside packet of a pouch of Wyeast 1335 yesterday about 9AM thinking I was going to boil up a quart of dry malt about noon and make a healthy starter for today's brew.

About 4:30, despite the dismal growth of the pouch, and the manufacture date stamp of May 11, I made the wort and put it all in the growler I use for such things.
Late last night, nothing.
This morning, nothing.

I headed back to the brew shop and told them what happened but without the used pouch, I coud not get a replacement.  I ended up buying a pouch that was made in August and a pound of dry malt and headed back home.
When I got here I shook the old yeast up one more time and got a small release of CO2.
It's still going very slowly.  I think I'll pitch the second pack into the wort today and see what happens

Next time I'll remember to save the old pouch for evidence.  But C'mon. I was in the shop less than 48 hours ago.  I would not burn 4 bucks worth of gas and drive clear accross town just to get a free pouch of British Ale yeast.