6:44 a.m.

That, for the record, is the last possible moment I can back out of my driveway and still catch the 7:05 train out of Dune Park each morning. I know this because today I cut it closer than I ever have before. I did this with stops at two lights that usually aren't red, and followed a state police car up most of 49 (not that I drive much over the limit anyway). As I drove past the station to the parking lot, the train was already halfway into the station, and I'm sure it stopped rolling before I did. Jumping out of my car, I set a new land-speed record for the rarely publicized "quarter-mile while carrying a 25 pound laptop bag and coffee mug" event. The conductor actually commented that I wasn't even breathing that hard. I guess he would know - I'm sure he sees people at about every station. You know, if I hadn't picked up the state patrol, the lights were right, and I had a few less things in my bag, maybe I could shave a few more seconds off my time...