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Close to midnight on Wednesday, March 11th, 2020, Gil Pallad put on his seatbelt and prepared himself for a fateful conversation.

It was a humid 70 degree night in Austin,

and as he drove, he passed stores and schools

that faced uncertain futures. A week earlier, the city had cancelled the South by

Southwest festival. The local grocery store chain, H.E.B. was inundated with

customers stocking up on toilet paper and sanitizer.

Gill turned into an upscale west side neighborhood with wide streets lined with live oak trees

and pulled up to a gated white brick house with floor

to ceiling arched windows. Ericmond opened the passenger door and slipped

...