Problem with getting plugin/widget into left sidebar.

I’m trying to place a shoutbox plugin/widget into a theme that has a left and right sidebar. Every time i try to add it to the lsidebar (left), it places it into “sidebar”, which doesn’t exist in this theme I’m using. What really makes me mad is that I had an “About Me” plugin/widget in the left side bar which I removed, and I now can’t get it back into the left sidebar either. The I’m using is the only them I have as I deleted the others. Where the admin panel is picking up the “sidebar” option is a mystery to me. Any suggestions?

Also, I’ve noticed that a lot of plugins refer to a “Presentation” section, which I don’t find on this version of WP (2.7). Was this a change or am I missing something. I have “Appearance.”