Baby

Three people in my eyeline are hugging their backpacks close to their chests as if it were a precious infant. You know the pose, it's the cliche office nerd in any 80s movie who sits on a bench with his cheap, brown briefcase clutched to his chest tightly. He nervously waits to give the secret plans to some other guy. 

Make that four people. This is an odd phenomenon. 

I have no belongings I can think of that I would cradle so protectively in a bag while sitting on a train.