def ensure_connected!
        return true if connected?
        return false unless reconnect_down_server?

        connect # This call needs to be in this class so we can do auth
        connected?
      end
The socket connection to the underlying server is initialized as a side
effect of this call.  In fact, this is the ONLY place where that
socket connection is initialized.

Both this method and connect need to be in this class so we can do auth
as required

Since this is invoked exclusively in verify_state!, we don't need to worry about
thread safety.  Using it elsewhere may require revisiting that assumption.