Did you ask him the all-purpose question, "So, when did you get out of the joint?"

That would have been a little creepy, I think, because I'd start replaying a dozen bad movies in my head. Chances are he was just one of those needy people--the sort inevitably seated next to you on cross country flights. I once had a woman starting up a conversation with both me and the person to her other side. After I put on my headphones and began reading, I could still hear her proclaim loudly, "Well, I see somebody doesn't want to participate!"

Folks like that don't typically backpack.