As my younger son Ed, his wife Anna, and our granddaughters prepare for a cross-country move from New Jersey to Chicago, my mind goes back to 1974, the year our family also moved from the East to the Midwest.

Husband John had accepted a position with Battelle Columbus Labs and begun work earlier that fall.  Sons John and Ed and I stayed back in the D.C. area to pack for the move.  In late November what furniture we owned was loaded up by movers for storage until we found a house to buy in Columbus.

On the day in early December as I was doing the last-minute packing of our suitcases, I discovered an alarm clock left behind by the movers.  Always taught not to throw anything away that was still useful, I packed the clock in my suitcase.  And helpful neighbors drove us to the airport for our evening flight. 

I felt a bit strange turning my suitcase over to the air personnel at the ticket counter, but what could I do.  That alarm clock might come in very useful in Ohio.   Now, that was way before the days of airport security and Xray of luggage.

Not a question was asked or an eyebrow raised as the bag was loaded on the conveyor belt to be transported to the plane.  Would that be possible today?  --  I don't think so.