6 a.m. on a Tuesday

Hi Mom,

This is what 6 a.m. looks like on a Tuesday. From a train. Going to Boston. Yes, I astoundingly and with no small effort actually made it onto said train, despite my penchant for missing early morning transportation due to its, well, earliness.

I packed the night before, and got to Penn Station with half an hour to spare. There's something great about being in train stations as daylight breaks. Makes you feel like you're really going somewhere. I've been in a lot of stations in a lot of towns, and even though they're often smelly, uncomfortable and full of slightly stale croissants, I like them. You can stand under the big boards and see all the places you could be going, check out luggage you'd like to own, and even sleep against a pillar for a bit without anyone thinking it's weird. Is it possible I am destined for a life of transit?

They were hosing down the sidewalks when I arrived, so I had to walk halfway around the terminal to get in. That’s how far ahead of normal travel time my train was leaving. They weren’t even anticipating the crowds yet. It's a New York I don't usually get to see, at least on the I've-just-woken-up side of things.

Love,
Karen