why is the shifter cable not lining up with the shaft on the transmission????

The shaft on the transmission has two "flat sides" get someone to wiggle the shift lever to get the cable to attach and seat onto the inhibitor switch shaft. Oldsmobile call it the park neutral switch. There is a company that independent auto repair shops get their information from, this same information is available inexpensively for people that work on their own cars.. The information is year make and model specific, covering repair procedures, torque specifications, fluid capacities and specifications, service bulletins, component locations, wiring diagrams ect.... Alldata is very easy to navigate http://bit.ly/AllData_Repair_Manuals_Online