Suppose, gentle reader, that you are traveling to Europe, and you wish to bring contact lens solution with you. And let us further suppose that you have a choice between bringing the dregs of one small bottle of contact lens solution -- or a fresh new bottle of similar size. And let us suppose that the lovely light purple design on the label of the new bottle brings you some indefinable sense of joy and pleasure.
So you go with that brand-new bottle. It is small and cute. It fits in your resealable clear plastic bag along with all other liquids you wish to bring along. Your step is light, your heart is carefree, as you go through the wonderful security theatre of the modern American airport, for which you are well-prepared.
After your short trip, you begin the return journey. While others are frantically throwing out gigantic bottles of a wide variety of liquids, and stuffing anything small enough into the baggies handed them by laconic security guards, you smugly step forward, holding your own resealable clear plastic bag aloft.
But what is this? The security guard is asking you about the bottle of contact lens solution. How many milliliters is it? he wants to know. All you know is, it is 4 oz. It came from America, passing safely and without remark through the security screening. And you want to bring it back with you.
And now, as instructed, you look carefully at the printing on the label. It is 118 mL. A full 18 mL over the limit. The eagle-eyed security guard correctly spotted the menace. Danger! Danger! It is apparently too dangerous to reimport back into the United States.
Sadly, you jettison the beautiful new container, which you have used for four days.
Postscript: Afterward, you check the TSA website. The limit is 3.4 oz, not 4, even in the United States. So you were doomed.
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