QUOTE : trying to listen.” If the physical environment was turning into a cesspit, the interpersonal environment was even worse. It was poisonous. “That’s just some stupid hack,” shot back Damon. The president’s message hadn’t started yet, and we were listening to a commentator speculating about what he might say. I tried to defuse the tension. “He was just messing around, trying to lighten things—” “We’ve had enough of your messing around,” growled Richard,