Helmut's story reminds me of the fear I have that misinterpretation of my
collecting equipment will one day get me into trouble with the police. A few
months ago a local newspaper had a story about how the police departments are
training their officers to spot distributors & users of illegal drugs &
narcotics. One photograph in the paper showed an exhibit used in the training
classes, the so-called "drug paraphernalia", i.e., the equipment used by these
people to make & smoke drugs. What terrified me about this picture was that
most of the items on it are what I carry with me when I go on land snail
collection trips: empty film canisters, small vials, plastic bags, spoons &
occasionally a bottle of acid with a dropper (to test rocks). If they ever
stop me for a traffic violation & decide to search my car on the way to a
collecting trip, I will certainly be under suspicion of being a drug dealer.
 
I hope you guys will come & bail me out.
 
A.