Chapter 1: The Winchester Analogy

"This software reminds me of that enormous house out west, you know, the one that just keeps expanding?" Sharon remarks.

"Ah, you mean the Winchester Mystery House?" Edgar responds.

"Exactly! This program is like the Winchester House of software—it's sprawling and never truly finished," Sharon explains.

Her analogy hits the mark perfectly, and Edgar can't help but chuckle along. While RU Data is usable and not overly complex once you navigate its layout, it comes with a fair share of absurdities. Information is often found in unexpected locations, with some tabs completely empty, while others redundantly display the same data multiple times. This chaotic structure is a byproduct of sending developers out to make on-the-spot changes. The flexibility is a plus, but it also means each instance of the program is unique, making it crucial to track down Matt Abernathy for any specific queries—assuming he even documented his updates, which is unlikely.

The program frequently freezes, necessitating a full reboot. There are numerous instances when two tabs need to be open simultaneously for cross-referencing because vital information isn’t consolidated in one place. This could be particularly troublesome since RU Data only permits one tab to be open at a time. However, Edgar discovered that if you return to the desktop and click on the RU Data icon again, you can launch multiple instances of the application. He finds this behavior peculiar, especially in today's software landscape, but it works. As luck would have it, Sharon is currently lamenting the single-tab limitation, and he seizes the opportunity to share his discovery with her.

Thus far, the software is functional, and their roles remain largely unchanged from before, once they familiarize themselves with the system. However, Edgar struggles to see where all the touted computational power and operational capabilities come into play. So far, it seems to perform the same tasks as Slingshot but offers fewer features. Todd’s enthusiastic claims about RU Data include capabilities that Slingshot already provided, which he had previously dismissed, thinking he understood its limitations.

This sets the stage for tension with Todd regarding RU Data: he is resistant to any criticism. They find themselves in a no-win situation; if someone claims it’s not that complex and they have a grasp on their tasks, Todd dismisses it as a lack of advanced knowledge. Conversely, if anyone expresses confusion, Todd reiterates that it’s due to insufficient expertise. It’s as if he’s bought into an idealized vision of the software. Whenever there’s a negative comment about RU Data, he responds by blocking out the feedback, as if chanting "LA LA LA LA LA."

These issues surface prominently during the first Monday morning meeting after the software's installation. With all the usual participants gathered around the conference table—Todd at the head, flanked by his loyal aides—store managers Destiny, Russell, and Diane/Candace join via speakerphone. Felix, Rick from Hupp, and Matt from RU Data also contribute to the discussion.

The primary concern revolves around sale batches. Despite Edgar's uploads appearing correctly formatted, transactions continue to fail at the registers. After thorough examination, both representatives from the new POS/back-end systems tentatively agree on one point.

"It seems there's a problem with your internet; it's not set up properly," Matt states.

"Yes," Rick concurs.

At this moment, Todd starts sharing his theories, while Don, spinning in his chair, playfully aims finger guns at Edgar, suggesting he should take responsibility for the situation. Edgar raises his brows in confusion, silently communicating that he isn’t responsible for fixing the internet. After all, he’s merely the pricing coordinator—was he expected to troubleshoot internet issues back at Cost Merchant in St. Louis?

It dawns on Edgar that Don Evans has been on a mission to blame him for everything wrong in the office. This leads to a humorous thought: Todd and Don seem to share the traits of Corey Brown, albeit divided. Todd embodies the eccentricity, offering bizarre theories, while Don channels hostility, making confrontational remarks. It’s like a "Buy One Get One Free" deal on Corey’s personality traits. This situation serves as a reminder that celebrating someone's departure could result in a replacement that’s even more challenging.

These dynamics continue to manifest during meetings. Following recommendations from Matt and Rick, Felix moves the primary RU Data interface from a back room at the Central store to Bellwether's server, which is password protected and managed by Chesboro HQ. Everyone at the stores retains their previous setup, with the only change being an additional folder on the Bellwether server that Edgar can now access—similar to what was done with the HSX tag printing program.

Despite these adjustments, they hardly impact the ongoing issues. While the problems with sale batches persist, the RU Data program continues to freeze. Although this might be manageable, unless they save their work after every single action—akin to saving after each word typed in a document—any progress is lost. This ridiculous notion doesn’t deter Matt Abernathy from suggesting, during a mid-afternoon conference call days later, that they adopt a "Tab-Save, Tab-Save" approach while entering data.

"What!? No. We can't do that. Sorry," Sharon interjects.

Edgar, attempting a gentler approach, chuckles and adds, "Yeah, I don't think that’s going to work…"

Given that Felix has already migrated the server—something Matt had previously insisted would solve the problem—Edgar concludes that the issue likely lies on their end. He reluctantly admits, "Okay, this must be a problem on our side. I'll investigate and keep you posted."

This acknowledgment marks a form of progress, even if the standoff remains unresolved. It leads to an outrageous email from Todd, sent to all participants from the call just minutes after it concluded:

"Okay, so it seems this was merely a training issue. Let’s ensure everyone understands their roles and the correct procedures for using RU Data moving forward."

It’s telling that no one bothers to respond to this email, which seems so far removed from reality. On one side, Matt insists Felix address the network configuration, while Felix argues that Matt should fix the program. The others find themselves caught in the middle, with Todd believing it’s all their fault.

Meanwhile, Edgar imagines the scene in Todd's office. Although Todd was technically on the call, it’s likely he paid little attention, distracted by colorful pie charts or articles on his phone. This lack of focus contributes to Todd’s ongoing cluelessness about who does what within the company. Finally, in mid-December, he organizes a meeting with representatives from MRI, essential since their new store in Lorena is one of the few brick-and-mortar MRI locations recently closed. Todd worked out a deal to acquire that store, along with its inventory and staff. However, aside from a few emails during the Palmyra pricing issue, Edgar has had no direct interaction with MRI until this meeting.

"This is my tech expert," Todd announces as he introduces Edgar to George and Bobby from MRI.

"Tech expert?" George and Bobby exchange puzzled glances.

Edgar laughs, shaking their hands as he clarifies, "I’m the pricing coordinator."

"Oh, okay," they respond, relieved, as that aligns with their expectations for the meeting—to understand what information the pricing coordinator would need to set up the database for the new store.

If Todd can’t pinpoint Edgar’s exact role after a year, it’s likely this confusion trickles down to his subordinates. For instance, Don Evans has shown hostility from the start, confronting Edgar about who’s authorizing product orders, as if it’s Edgar’s fault that store orders are chaotic. Don seems uninterested in Edgar’s explanation that a safeguard is in place: they can't order items not in their system if they’re using the Slingshot ordering guns. Beyond that, Don needs to consult with merchandisers or managers about the phone calls and emailed orders.

This antagonism persists when, for the fourth time in as many months, Don sends Edgar another combative email about the PLU machine in the bulk section. This time, it’s more direct:

"When will the PLU machine be operational? What’s the problem? You keep saying you’re fixing it, but there’s been no progress. It’s been sitting there for MONTHS, and it seems you haven’t done any work on it. Are you ever planning to fix it?"

Once again, all the key figures are copied on this email—except for Josh, the person actually responsible for the machine. After cooling down, Edgar takes his time crafting a reasonable response:

"Don: I’m not working on that machine. I never have been. We identified the issues the same day Josh came to install it. He took his notes back to St. Louis to work on them. I’ve asked for updates, but I haven’t received any solutions yet. I can request another update or forward you Josh’s contact information if you’d like to discuss this further. Just let me know. Thanks."

A couple of hours later, Don responds, this time only to Edgar. It’s evident that Don is upset because Edgar defended himself against an unfounded accusation. Don likely knows he’s in the wrong but won’t admit it. For Edgar, this is just another instance of the workplace dynamics; people can launch unfounded attacks, but challenging them makes you the villain.

Feeling frustrated, Edgar thinks, "If you want it fixed, come get it. I don’t want it in my store."

Once he calms down, Edgar gathers the tools he thinks he might need and heads over to Central. He retrieves a ladder from the janitor's closet, unscrews the device, and stows it away, leaving it among the pile of unused items in the shopping cart.

Interestingly, Edgar realizes these issues aren’t isolated to him. It's not just him facing confusion about roles; even when people know their responsibilities, they often get caught up in unexpected complications. The next time he's in Palmyra, Sharon shares her frustrations about an internet outage.

"Teri had me on the phone for forty-five minutes, asking me to try this and that. I finally told her, 'I'm not trying to be rude, but I have my actual job to do here,'" she explains.

While Edgar appreciates Teri, he understands Sharon's frustration. He’s experienced similar situations countless times. However, he sees both sides; Teri likely doesn’t want to make a long drive for a minor issue. But whose fault is it? Wholesome Shopper Market still lacks a dedicated IT person after nearly a decade. The prevailing argument is that if you’re not the right person to ask, then who is? This logic is frustrating, especially when it gets turned against you. The understaffed environment is already chaotic, and they haven’t even opened the new store in Lorena yet.

It’s unclear how they can convey their frustrations to their superiors. The situation continues to deteriorate, with control slipping from competent hands into those of individuals who range from clueless to downright irrational. The laws of logic seem to have no bearing on the operations.

Still, there is hope. If they can make the Lorena store a success, perhaps everything will fall into place. They cling to the belief that despite the chaos, those who know what they’re doing can get the store off the ground. As the saying goes, "Sales cure everything," and turning a profit—or even breaking even—could be the miracle they desperately need.