Introduction

In 1973, I was a hospital security officer working the graveyard shift in the basement. One night when I was the only one on duty, it was lonely and dead quiet, until I heard the sound of approaching footsteps. I looked up to see a man walking toward me. It was the CEO of my hospital. I had never met him before, but I had seen his picture; as a security officer, I was expected to know the administrators by sight.

Who knew what the CEO was doing walking around in the basement at that ungodly hour, but it didn't matter: This was my chance to meet the big boss. I thought how cool it would be to chat a little bit, make a connection. I grew up under modest circumstances in nearby Alhambra, and I knew this CEO lived in San Marino. As ...

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