When people leave their tables, they take their 'valuables' with them. In 'valuables', we mean hp, wallet, and mp3. And your laptop. I also see people leaving crumpler bags behind. Holy, there must be some rich statements in that sorta behavior. It's almost universally understood that unimportant texts and notes lying on the table means the table's taken. But the world's a strange one. These so-called less valuable materials have strange price behaviors - their value explodes on the eve of the papers. To leave them unguarded is an extremely dangerous thing to do, I've found out. You never know when a study lunatic with a crazy urge for a table walks by. Not saying that I'm one, although I very much wish I am. Just a warning.