That was two weeks ago. No matter how many times I have taken everything else out of that backpack and shaken it, I have failed to break loose all the chad. Those little round holes now tend to dislodge themselves individually and pop up when I least expect it. I find them, one at a time, on the floor of my office, on the floor at home, on the seat of my car. In short, I find them everywhere.
Most people are lucky.
They only have to follow the reports about Florida's chad. For me, chad is not only in the news but also in my lap, on my kitchen table, etc. I go these days. Last week, as news reporters and commentators descended upon Florida to talk about chad, I drove through West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Not 50 miles from home, I spotted a piece of chad on the floor mat of the rental car.