My editor, Steve Drummond, isn't that old of a guy. He's from Michigan — Wayne Memorial HS, Class of '79.

But when he starts talking about backpacks he dips into a "back in my day" tone that makes you think of a creaky rocking chair and suspenders: "You know, Lee, when I was in school, no one had a backpack!

"You just carried your books in your arms." He says it like he's talking about sending a telegram with Morse Code. "No one really thought about it, that's just what you did."