I sometimes wonder who that fool is fretting over his child as he travels a mere 60 miles on mass transit. Is it the same person who used to boast so much about making a round trip from Rhode Island to Texas on the bus at age 13? That can't be the same person calling his son on his cell phone every twenty minutes checking on his progress.

That person preened over the fact he had a four hour layover in the New York City Port Authority and made his connections by himself. This person has called his child more times than his ex. That cannot be the same person!

No, can't be!

Yup! That's me, alright! Of course, part of it is making sure I'm the one on schedule but there was something compulsive as I looked at my watch knowing that the Tri-Rail train should be pulling out of the station and that my son had instructions to call when it began to move. Still I could not stop the images of him arriving late at the station and having to wait, by himself, for another hour. I made the first call and found out there was a delay. We did the math and figured I was even a little early to meet him so we hung up with that in mind.

Then, of course, I'm sitting there in the parking lot waiting, having arrived 15 minutes early. I knew the delay time. There had not been a single commuter train accident the entire time I've lived in Florida.

I must have picked up the phone to call him at least 6 times.

No! I'll just sit back and listen to the radio and enjoy "my" music before he jumps in the car and changes the station. I almost start picking up and putting the phone down to the beat of the music.

Rational, damn it, be rational!

Faintly, off in the distance, I hear the train's horn blowing.

"Ah-ha! See, I was right. Exactly when I said it would arrive. No problem-o!"

Yes, believe it or not....same guy!