At this hour I should be settling in for two hours of the Hon. David MacDonald Experience out at UPEI.

But I am not.

I decided earlier this morning that, rather than trying to catch the 7:30 a.m. bus up University Avenue, I’d take things a little easier, linger a little longer over my coffee and granola, and catch the 7:45 a.m. bus instead. I’d still get there in time for the 8:00 a.m. start, but I wouldn’t be frazzled. Such is the beauty of the every-15-minutes-up-the-avenue bus schedule.

Which is why I arrived at the Confederation Centre of the Arts bus stop at 7:40 a.m., ready to start my day.

Shortly thereafter came Bus No. 3, Bus No. 4, and the bus to Summerside.

But no Bus No. 1.

It turns out that there is no Bus No. 1 at 7:45 a.m.

I could have gone back home and taken the car, or just waited for the 8:00 a.m. bus and been a little late. But the summer heat and sense of despair at the irregularity of the universe meant that I didn’t have it in me to climb over those mountains.

And so, ironically, I will miss How can we create a habitable, thriving and just future?, the topic of today’s discussion.