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"Sure," he said, looking through some papers. "Tanner ... David Tanner at Valley Computers."
"Great. I'll be sure to thank him. In the meantime, we should talk about what you need done."
We spent a couple of hours going over what was, to my mind, a primitive set of inventory and sales records. There was some computerization, but none of if was coordinated or linked. He needed more than just a database. He needed a system.
When we finished reviewing what he was trying to accomplish, I gave him the bad news.
"Darren, this isn't a small problem. This is a major challenge. To get what you want, all of these pieces have to work together. Sales, accounting, inventory, purchasing; the whole works. Fortunately, most of this can be bought off the shelf. You don't need an exotic custom-built system, but you do need a complete one that can be updated.
"I'll write up a proposal with software costs included, but I have to tell you there will be additional costs to bring your people on line. Learning is always the most demanding and time consuming part. It never goes smoothly, but if we do it right, we can reduce the pain fairly substantially. You'll need a trainer and someone to administer the system."
"That has the sound of something really expensive," he said, looking unhappy.
"It can be if it's not the right system and it isn't implemented properly. Your best cost is your first cost. Do it right the first time and you get the reward. Try and do it half-way, and your end cost is almost always far higher. Trust me, this I know. I've done this type of project in a private business a couple of years ago."
"I think you must be the tenth person to tell me that. Now I have to decide which one to go with."
"Well, as I said, you don't need a customized design. There are several off-the-shelf systems for business that are integrated and expandable. I don't think that's where the cost will be. Training will be the unknown. In any event, I'll make sure my quote spells out the software costs, any hardware required, and if I'm able, I'll recommend someone for implementation. You should look internally for someone to ramrod the project, no matter which proposal you chose. Make sure you select a person who really wants to do it, not someone who gets stuck with it."
"Good advice. I've got a nephew who is supposed to be a hotshot in computers. I'll talk to him after I get all the proposals together. He's pretty level-headed and has a degree something like yours from Colorado Tech here in Pueblo. Maybe you should talk to him. I don't want to put him in over his head."
"Sure. I'd be happy to. If he's got the qualifications and he's someone you know and trust, that might make your job a lot easier," I said optimistically.
"I'll have him call you. He's working at a shop here in town, but I know he wants to find something more along the lines of what he studied."
We parted with me being on a high from getting an opportunity at what would be a fairly large project. Besides their headquarters in Pueblo, they had satellite operations at Santa Fe in New Mexico, Colby across in Kansas, and up north in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The satellites were generally three man operations with a pair of guys to load and unload, as well as a driver for the one on-site truck. Hand-written orders were faxed to the branch and load sheets were faxed back to the main office. Simple, but not free of problems. I was really looking forward to this proposal.
When I got back to the ranch, I could tell something had happened in my absence. Marion was in the kitchen and I could hear Rance and his father in the office. I walked into the kitchen.
"What's up?" I asked her.
"We had a visit from Dexter Prentice. He wants to buy the rights to the coal gas that might be on the ranch. He offered a lot of money, but Rance and his father don't want to take it. Rance says he doesn't trust Dexter, and I can't say I blame him. Several of the people in town have had dealin's with him and say they got taken in one way or another. Nothin' illegal I guess, but left them with a bad feelin' about doin' business with him. I'm sure Rance will tell you all about it."
I decided to let Rance and Angus have their private discussion. In the meantime, I could peel some potatoes and carrots for the supper. Marion and I had developed a routine in the kitchen that kept us from getting in each other's way. It was something I had learned as a young girl in our home and didn't forget. I was also watching her prepare meals, trying to learn what and why she was doing what she was doing. Marion wasn't a fancy cook, but she was a good one.
Our evening meal was quiet that night. It seemed Rance and his father had a lot on their minds and they were trying to decide what to do. We made a bit of small talk about my trip to Pueblo, but I could see they were both distracted. I could tell him about my new project at another time.
After supper, Rance and his father adjourned to the office once more while Marion and I did the dishes. I set up my laptop on the dining room table and began to outline the proposal for Darren Fielder. I'd only just got started when the phone rang. Marion answered it, then turned to me.
"It's for you. Someone named Stuart Fielder."
It took me a moment to connect the dots, then I smiled and nodded as I walked to the phone.
"Hello, Mr. Fielder."
"Hi. My uncle suggested I call you. He's getting ready to put in a proper computer system at long last. He said it was something you and I should talk about."
"Yes. I met with your uncle this morning. We discussed a complete system to bring him up to date. I asked him if he knew anyone in his company that could supervise the installation and even maybe teach the employees how to use it. He said you had a degree at Colorado Tech."
"Yes. I graduated last year in computer science. I've been looking for a meaningful job, but so far no luck. What kind of system are you proposing for him?"
"Off the shelf, upgradable, comprehensive business set. It's almost starting from scratch from what I can see."
"No doubt about it. I think I'm the one who put the bug in his ear about getting something that was at least developed in this century. I couldn't believe how far out of touch they were," he said.
"Well, it looks like it's caught up to him now. There are about a dozen different software vendors that could qualify. It's a matter of finding the right one that will be around when the dust settles and it's time for an upgrade or expansion."
"No kidding," he said. "That evaluation will be tough. A lot of these people make big promises, but in the end, you're constantly messing with their system to make it do what you want. My uncle's business is pretty simple, really. They buy stuff and then they sell it. Sometimes it comes into inventory, and sometimes it goes directly to the customer. That's about it."
"Yes," I agreed. "That's why I think simple is better, but we need a system that's reliable and proven too. I'm leaning toward something like Praxis has, or maybe ConFlex," I tested, wondering if he was familiar with them.
"Praxis would be good. They're solid as far as I can tell. I don't have any experience with ConFlex, but maybe we can find someone who does."
"Yes. When I approach a new vendor, I always ask for references. Anyway, sounds like we agree on what your uncle needs. What about the implementation and training. Do you think you might be interested in that?"
"As a long term thing, no. I'd like to be the system administrator if I can handle it. As far as training goes, I might have a problem. I'm far more experienced than the average user, so it's going to be hard to relate to their understanding of what's going on. I guess I'd have to try it to find out."
"Well, that's an honest answer. But, it does sound like you're interested and I'm going to suggest that if I'm awarded the contract, I'd want you to be included as an assistant and in training to be the administrator. Do you have a problem with that?"
"Not at all. Hell, that's more than I could expect. No one else has even talked to me besides you. I know Uncle Darren has talked to several vendors, but I don't know any more than that. I hope you get this contract. It could be great for both of us, as well as his business."
"Okay, Stuart. Thanks for calling and I'll stay in touch with you. Leave me your phone number and e-mail address. I'll let you know what I decide before I make the proposal. If you see anything that bothers you, say so. I don't know everything about the business and I don't want to make a mistake."
"Great," he said enthusiastically. I got his phone number and e-mail address before we hung up.
I was about to turn around and tell Marion about the call when I felt to big, warm hands on my shoulders. I jumped for a second before realizing it was Rance.
"You sound like you've been busy," he said in his low growl.
"Yes. That was the nephew of one of your old soldier mates in Afghanistan. I'm putting a proposal together for a complete business system. It could be a really big step for me," I said, turning to him.
"Old soldier mate?"
"Did you know a Darren Fielder?"
"No ... but that's not surprisin'. There were three thousand of us in that one district. I barely knew all the men in my platoon. Anyway, you sound excited about what's happenin'."
"Well, it isn't mine yet, but I'm hopeful. I think I know the way I want to go with this, and on top of that his nephew is very supportive and wants to help. I feel like I'm heading in the right direction."
"Well, that's good. I'm happy for you," he smiled genuinely.
"I hear Dexter Prentice paid you a visit."
"Yeah. He came out to make us an offer we couldn't refuse. Unfortunately for him, we did refuse it."
"How'd he take it?"
"Not very well. He suggested we'd regret turnin' him down. Didn't sound like he was talkin' about just the money, either. Not sure what to expect from him, but I'm guessin' we'll know soon enough."
"What can he do?"
"Nothin' that Dad or I can think of. It's up to us to decide what to do about the coal-gas leases. I just wish we had a better handle on what the likelihood of them comin' through was. I'd hate to find out we turned down two hundred thousand dollars cash money for nothin' in return. It's just a matter that we don't trust that man."
I thought for a moment on what Rance had said.
"Didn't you tell me that he offered the other ranchers about one hundred thousand?"
"Yeah. That's been botherin' me too. Why so much for ours? What does he know that we don't know?"
"Can you go directly to the coal-gas company and find out?"
"I'm tryin' that. They're bein' pretty tight-lipped. Don't want to weaken their hand too much, I guess. Right now, we're playin' poker, but we don't know if we've seen all the cards. Guess we'll find out soon enough."
I knew the ranch finances were stretched at this time of year. It operated on a line of credit that had been established at the local bank many years ago. The cattle wouldn't be ready for market until the end of summer when they were at their prime. It would be September or even October before any money would be coming in from the sales. It was late June now and another draw would be made in July or early August to tide the ranch over until the sales.
"Rance, I have some money that's doing nothing right now. I can contribute to the expenses if you need anything."
"I know that, Sweetheart. But we're not hurtin' that much. You need that money to get your business started. We're goin' to be fine. It's just a matter of waitin' until the cattle are ready for market at their top weight. That's how we get paid. Dexter has just thrown some confusion into the mix. Don't you start worryin' about it, hear me."
"All right," I agreed reluctantly. I had a feeling there was more to the story than this, but I would just have to wait and see how everything played out in the next while.
Chapter 9 Tricky Business
The next two months seemed to fly by. The Wishart project went quicker and easier than I expected and he was very pleased that it cost a lot less than he expected. I put a lot of effort into making sure it went well and that he would be satisfied with my efforts. That paid off in one way; I had a satisfied customer. In another way, I think I undervalued my services. When I calculated my actual hours and divided them into my fee, I was really working for twenty dollars an hour. Not as much as I was hoping for. I'd have to be more careful in the future.
The good news was that I received the contract for Mountain Building Supplies and I contacted Stuart Fielder right away. He was excited to join me on the project and turned in his notice at the computer shop. Darren made it clear that he was counting on Stuart's ability to manage the system once it was up and running. I made no promises about his training ability. After all, he was very young and inexperienced.
We (Stuart and I) had chosen the Praxis system for the software after much discussion. We then handed out tender applications for hardware to several of the computer suppliers in Pueblo, and of course, Valley Computers in Trinidad. I wanted David Tanner to know I was grateful for his initial referral. I was hoping it would pay dividends in the future.
One of our potential hardware suppliers recommended a man for training that they thought would be ideal. He was a retired teacher who had a good working knowledge of computers. Stuart and I interviewed him and decided he would be good at what we needed. Very even-tempered, used to teaching older students, and patient.
By the middle of August, the project was well underway and I was very pleased with Stuart's input and effort. Since it was all in the family, Darren was equally happy that things were going well. As it turned out, we weren't going to be breaking the bank with this implementation. Our bid was easily the lowest of the five bidders, and the only one that included the development of a system administrator who just happened to be the boss's nephew.
I had been commuting to Pueblo almost daily to stay on top of the project. I made a trip to Cheyenne with Stuart to set up the first satellite station, then looked after the Santa Fe installation myself. Stuart would do the Colby installation and training. The system was that simple that we produced a laminated card with operating instructions for each of the satellites. We made several to make sure they didn't accidentally disappear.
Our instructor/trainer, Edward Meehan, was just what the doctor ordered. He was calm, easygoing, didn't ruffle any feathers, and seemed to get along with everyone. Most importantly, he was getting the message across to the people who were using the system. We patted ourselves on the back for being smart enough to hire him. I would keep him in mind for future jobs if the need arose.
It was a Wednesday evening when I pulled up to the ranch house after a long, tiring day in Pueblo. I wouldn't miss that trip when the project was completed. I was getting to know every inch of I-25 between the two cities. When I walked into the house, I couldn't hear anything going on in the kitchen. That was unusual. Perhaps someone had decided to use the barbeque tonight.
I walked out on the back deck and found Marion, Angus, and Rance all sitting around the circular table, nursing a drink. There wasn't any conversation going on.
"Hi, everybody," I said in greeting.
"Hi, Julie," Marion replied quietly. Rance and Angus just sat and stared at their drinks. That was definitely not normal.
"So ... what's happening?"
"We had a phone call from Melvin Crenshaw, our bank manager," Rance rumbled. "He's decided we aren't a good credit risk any more and is callin' in our line of credit. We have until our next payment to clean it off his books."
"Oh ... oh my. When is the next payment due?"
"Four days from now. Three if you're countin' bankin' days," Angus snarled.
"What can we do? What will happen if we don't make the payment?" I asked.
"Crenshaw made it plain that if we were in default, he would take action against the ranch. There's a grace period, but he could make our life very difficult and make it hard for us to get another line of credit at another bank," Marion explained.
"That son-of-a-bitch Prentice put him up to this," Angus swore. "It's got his fingerprints all over it. It's his way of pressurin' us to sell him the rights to the coal-gas."
"You want to bet the price he's willin' to give us for those rights has dropped a whole hell-of-a-lot?" Rance suggested. "This is a classic squeeze play, and I'll be damned if I'm goin' to let him get away with it."
"What can we do?" I asked, worried that this looked very bad.
"I've got an ace up my sleeve that Dexter doesn't know anythin' about," Rance replied. "I'm just wonderin' whether to play it."
"What are you thinking, Rance," I asked again.
"We need about forty thousand dollars to get us through to the sales," Angus said. "That will pay off the outstandin' line-of-credit and look after our expenses until we get paid for our cattle. In the meantime, we can get ourselves set up with another bank and hopefully establish a line of credit with them."
"So, where do we find the forty-thousand?" I asked. "I've got more than ten thousand in my savings, plus my 401K. I can help."
"Sweetheart, that's wonderful and I'm grateful that you want to help, but I can't let you do that even if we can't find the whole amount," Rance said kindly. "I've got another idea that I'm reluctant to use, but we may just have to."
"Spit it out, Son," Angus said.
"Tim is now a multi-millionaire. I'm pretty sure he'd loan us some money on the promise that we'd pay it back in a month or two. I hate to do it, but I can't let that bastard Prentice mess with us like this. If Crenshaw badmouths us around the town, we could have a hell of a time gettin' a new line of credit."
"Let's deal with Crenshaw and Prentice after we get this loan thing looked after," Marion said. She got a nod from both men almost immediately.
Thursday morning Rance called Tim on his private line. He explained what was happening and how it could affect the future of the ranch. I could only hear one side of the conversation, but I got the impression Tim was very unhappy with how his friend was being treated.
"I appreciate your being willin' to help, Tim," Rance said. "You know I'm good for it as soon as the cattle are sold."
I heard the sound of Tim's voice on the phone, but couldn't make out what he was saying until Rance put him on speakerphone.
"You there, Julie?" I heard the familiar voice.
"Yes, Tim."
"You still have the same bank account as when you worked here?"
"Yes, I do."
"Good. Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to wire fifty thousand dollars to that account this morning. I want you to get a certified check for exactly what the outstanding is on the line of credit and march into that assholes office and slam it on his desk. Then, close out all the accounts in that branch. I'll get on the phone and find you someone you can trust. Now ... are there any questions."
The tone of his voice suggested there shouldn't be any.
"Thank you, Tim," Rance said softly. I'll make sure you don't regret this. But fifty thousand is more than we need. We just need forty."
"Always good to have a contingency, Rance. Besides, if they want that lease that bad, I suspect they know more than they're telling about what's at stake. Hang tough, my friend."
"I will, Tim. And thank you from my whole family. This means a lot to us."
"I know that, man. I'm just happy that you came to me for help. I feel good about that."
"Yeah ... well ... thanks again. I'll keep in touch."
We hung up shortly after that.
