The opening day arrived with rain and a power failure.
At 6:20 a.m., a transformer outside the hotel blew. Half the west wing went dark, including the corridors I'd spent months lighting. The emergency system came on, but the committee was already in the lobby, preparing for the first press tour.
I ran upstairs with the electrician. Julian was already in the west corridor, speaking to the site manager.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Transformer failure," Julian said. "The hotel's generator is handling the public rooms, but the west wing needs a reset."
"How long?"
"The electrician says forty minutes."
"We have guests arriving in an hour."
"Then we make sure the public areas are ready first."
I checked the emergency lights. They were functional, but the corridor looked harsh and flat.
