Chapter 1: The Pierre Predicament

In the aftermath of the Pierre debacle, Corey is trying to reshape his narrative. He now claims that he never viewed Edgar as a slacker or a joke. Instead, he insists that the objective of this whole endeavor was to disseminate knowledge. That’s why he believed promoting Pierre was the right move—this was his sole rationale.

"What if you were hit by a car tomorrow? Just think about it," Corey tells Edgar, with an unsettling undertone, "We need a contingency plan."

This reflects a certain defensiveness on Corey's part, as he struggles to acknowledge any fault on his end. Someone like Corey often resorts to the know-it-all persona, subtly implying that Edgar's confidence in his own capabilities is misplaced, suggesting that Pierre’s appointment could be a disaster. This behavior is typical for a management figure in a similar situation. He tries to brush it off with humor, chuckling, "Must be nice to have all the answers! The rest of us are just trying to get by!"

Edgar typically holds his tongue, wanting to respond, "Actually, one of us is acting like a know-it-all here, and it's not me."

He shares the same frustrations as his colleagues. Edgar knows a lot about a few specific domains and excels in them. He believes management recognizes him as the go-to expert in these areas. Previously, when management proceeded without consulting him in a comparable situation, they realized their mistake and acknowledged that he should have been involved from the beginning. Yet, here he is again, watching Corey charge forward, acting as if he has all the answers. The cycle tends to unfold like this, as it did with Pierre's hiring:

1. A management figure makes bold declarations on topics they're unfamiliar with, neglecting to consult the in-house expert.
2. If the expert raises objections, they’re often criticized for being negative or obstructive.
3. When the plan fails, management deflects blame, hiding behind excuses and labeling the expert a "know-it-all."

This pattern is perpetually observable in the challenging retail landscape. It applies equally to the Pierre situation and to seemingly innocuous decisions, like implementing incompatible deli scales across new stores. Just when Edgar feels he’s made an impact on the Walnut rollout, they repeat the same mistakes at Arcadia without prior consultation.

Consequently, there are now four distinct brands of scales across five stores. This may have been manageable when only one employee was overseeing the operations. However, Edgar can only program the Southside and Palmyra scales remotely, while managing updates for the other three stores requires him to compile extensive lists and update them during his visits. Each system operates differently, and their databases don’t communicate.

Currently, Valerie manages most of the scales, but she lacks access to the Orchestra database and must rely on others for accurate information on pricing and inventory. In Walnut, reality sets in, and Karen Hatley is now tasked with managing changes to that scale—a project Edgar has been mentoring her on, as she is the only one with any knowledge in that area. This is far better than having her watch YouTube tutorials in Spanish.

Despite the chaos, Edgar meets Jack while navigating the tangled issues with the Harmony Hill upload. They appear to share a certain camaraderie, both being somewhat chaotic in their personal lives yet detail-oriented at work—a classic "geek" mindset. They tackled the Liberty Avenue challenge using a dual approach; Edgar reformatted the file while Jack worked on restoring the connection, which hadn’t resolved itself even after database repairs.

In this process, Edgar also has the chance to connect with Felix Ortega. One memorable outing occurs when Felix takes the team to a bustling Mexican restaurant near Chesboro. The noise of clinking dishes and conversations is almost overwhelming.

Amidst the clamor, Edgar shares his background while learning about Jack's past in telecommunications and Felix's enigmatic persona. Felix is a middle-aged man with thick glasses and a constant sense of urgency, leaving Edgar uncertain whether he’s genuinely busy or simply avoiding commitment. He’s Latino but appears nondescript, lacking any discernible accent unless one is specifically listening for it.

Professionally, Edgar assumes Felix knows his role well; after all, he was hired to lead an IT department that didn’t exist before. However, a third tech position promised during Felix's hiring has yet to materialize. Edgar's requests often go unfulfilled—his laptop struggles to function at Walnut and frequently fails in Palmyra. Felix brushes off these concerns with humor, often leaving the room before providing any real updates.

Compounding these frustrations is the new scale at Arcadia, which could be online with a simple cable installation, but the choice of a completely different brand complicates matters further. Felix frequently asks redundant questions, giving the illusion of progress, but Edgar wonders if he’s simply overwhelmed.

The air is thick with uncertainty at work. Corey never clarifies the source of his sudden decision for the IT team to upload a file for pricing changes, but it’s assumed this indicates trouble for Pierre—a desperate measure. Yet, nothing alters significantly until Duane returns from his extensive recovery period after a heart attack.

This situation echoes many elements of the Pierre promotion, raising doubts about whether management truly learns from past mistakes. Edgar, like others, believed they would at least post the job or conduct an external search, but the cycle repeats itself. The twist occurs when everyone receives a mass email announcing the return of former employee Melissa, who is being brought back to take over Pierre’s role.

Once Pierre completes Melissa's training, he is reassigned to replace Shad as Liberty’s assistant manager. Shad is moving to Arcadia, where sales are slightly better. Sometimes changes are communicated via email, and other times Edgar learns about them through word of mouth. Often, the only indication of a new hire is a different signature on an invoice.

With much to track, this is just a glimpse of the chaotic changes taking place. The upheaval begins when Rob visits Edgar's desk, discussing an unrelated topic. Edgar mentions a positive development at the Walnut store, but Rob's eye roll signals that not everything is well. Soon after, the announcement comes that the Walnut store is closing, and its remaining employees will be reassigned.

"I’m glad to hear it," Reece tells Edgar during a rare phone call. Her laughter is raspy, and she adds, "That was a total waste of everyone’s time."

They have two months to wind down operations and transfer products. Yet, in typical HSM fashion, Duane decides not to log these transfers, assuming the difference between inventories will reflect what each store received from Walnut. Although skeptical, Reece eventually resigns herself to the situation, likely because the decision was already in motion before she learned of it. Fortunately, there’s no significant discrepancy in the inventories that month.

Karen is appointed to lead Palmyra, with Brian demoted to her assistant despite having performed well. However, career advancements often favor the boss's spouse. Consequently, Johnny returns to his former role as head of the bulk department. Liberty Avenue receives the quirky new deli scale from Walnut, while Sam, in an unexpected move, decides to unplug the existing scale and stow it away. This decision may simplify matters in the long run, but it means starting from scratch with a skeletal database, forcing Melissa to struggle with the new system.

Ultimately, the question remains as to how well Melissa will adapt in her new role as database coordinator. While it’s clear she’s an improvement over Pierre, her knowledge is limited to what he imparts. A few weeks into this transition, Edgar encounters Dale, who stops by the Bellwether HQ.

“How’s Melissa doing?” Edgar inquires.

“Well, let me tell you, it’s definitely better than Pierre…”

“Oh, I can imagine…”

“Yeah,” Dale chuckles, “but it seems like she’s experiencing a bit of Stockholm Syndrome. Her attitude was much better before. Now, after a few weeks with Pierre, it’s like she’s saying, ‘I hate my life, everything sucks, this place is terrible!’”

This video, featuring Dwayne Perkins' comedic take on life's absurdities, adds a humorous touch to the complexities Edgar faces in his work environment.