Que Sera, Sera!

There was literally no one in the queue, when I went for the security check. 

Checking over, I was awaiting my bag when the security flagged mine. 

"There is a bottle inside. You will have to show it" he said. '"Oh." I opened my bag and showed him the shaving can. He took it, examined and gave it back.  '

He checked with a colleague of his. "There's another," he said. 

I reached out for the can of Yardley Gentleman perfume and showed him. 

"You will have to drop it here," he said. "Why? " Puzzled, I queried. 

"It's only 100 ml you can carry as hand baggage" he said.

"Fair enough, but this can contains less than 50ml. Perhaps, even lesser", I said. 

I have thus habit of keeping away cabs that are about to get over for plane travel as they allow only 100 ml. 

"No", he said, "that's not possible." 

"Please hold it and see for yourself." He said, "That's not my problem. If it's 100, it's 100." 

"I have been doing this all along. The can is marked 125 ml, but it contains way less than that," I tried to plead.

"This is a new rule, even the container should be marked 100 ml and below. Which is why I gave your can of shave gel back as it was only 75 ml." 

I knew it was futile to argue. 

The other option is to carry it as a check in baggage", he said. 

I approached a superior of his and tried to reason with him. He, while sympathizing with me, shrugged his shoulders, stating his helplessness. 

With no option left and having time at my disposal, I went back to the Air India counter. As as luck would have it, a long line had collected. I had to take my wallet, phone, earphones and power bank (they don't allow power banks as check in luggage after the Samsung Note 7 fiasco). 15 plus minutes later, my revised boarding pass was ready. 

When I came to the security check in counter, an unpleasant surprise awaited me - another long queue. The same security staff flung a wry smile at me. 20 odd minutes more. My pockets were full with assorted gadgets bulging out of them. 

The flight landed at Delhi; I had to wait another 20 odd minutes for the baggage to be delivered. If the can was allowed to be carried as cabin baggage, this ordeal would not have arisen.

At Delhi, I reached the guest house and opened the bag. The can of perfume was not to be found. I opened the bag inside out, but of no avail. I then realized that in the melee, I had forgotten to ask the airline staff to use a plastic lock and zip my bag. Someone had made away with the can! 

All the drama and more than an hour of my life spent on nothing. Just nothing! I might have just dumped the can at the Bombay airport and got on with life!  

Que Sera, Sera!