Seated at the lead table, Curtis Labon listened as the Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs finished her speech. Distracted by an incoming text message, Labon split his attention long enough to become concerned. A moment later his thumbs relayed a return message – meet @ 845 UN Plaza 90B 20min. Lifting eyes to peer into the relative darkness of the far gallery, Labon caught sight of a conference banner. PEACE – Population Exposition for the Advancement of a Caring Earth. Aligned with news just received, the message rang hollow. Just as abruptly, he sensed being out-of-place, sickened at the vestige of hope offered by the assembly around him. The annual conference he had long sponsored felt mired in the inertia of the day. It was under-energized and over-populated by elite speakers and professional listeners rarely moved to effective action. Messy reality outside the hall suggested only problems had momentum. Labon gathered up his things and headed for the exit.
