Lil said, "Don, we're trying something new here, a really streamlined process. The good part is, the process is _short_. In a couple months, we'll know if it's working for us. If it's not, hey, we can turn it around in a couple months, too. That's why we're not spending as much time planning as we usually do. It won't take five years for the idea to prove out, so the risks are lower." Another castmember, a woman, apparent 40 with a round, motherly demeanor said, "I'm all for moving fast -- Lord knows, our pacing hasn't always been that hot. But I'm concerned about all these new people you propose to recruit -- won't having more people slow us down when it comes to making new decisions?" _No_, I thought sourly, _because the people I'm bringing in aren't addicted to meetings_. Lil nodded. "That's a good point, Lisa. The offer we're making to the telepresence players is probationary -- they don't get to vote until after we've agreed that the rehab is a success." Another castmember stood. I recognized him: Dave, a heavyset, self- important jerk who loved to work the front door, even though he blew his spiel about half the time. "Lillian," he said, smiling sadly at her, "I think you're really making a big mistake here. We love the Mansion, all of us, and so do the guests. It's a piece of history, and we're its custodians, not its masters. Changing it like this, well. . ." he shook his head. "It's not good stewardship. If the guests wanted to walk through a funhouse with guys jumping out of the shadows saying 'booga- booga,' they'd go to one of the Halloween Houses in their hometowns. The Mansion's better than that. I can't be a part of this plan." I wanted to knock the smug grin off his face. I'd delivered essentially the same polemic a thousand times -- in reference to Debra's work -- and hearing it from this jerk in reference to _mine_ made me go all hot and red inside. "Look," I said. "If we don't do this, if we don't change things, they'll get changed _for_ us. By someone else. The question, _Dave_, is whether a responsible custodian lets his custodianship be taken away from him, or whether he does everything he can to make sure that he's still around to ensure that his charge is properly cared for. Good custodianship isn't sticking your head in the sand." I could tell I wasn't doing any good. The mood of the crowd was getting darker, the faces more set. I resolved not to speak again until the meeting was done, no matter what the provocation. Lil smoothed my remarks over, and fielded a dozen more, and it looked like the objections would continue all afternoon and all night and all the next day, and I felt woozy and overwrought and miserable all at the same time, staring at Lil and her harried smile and her nervous smoothing of her hair over her ears.