4 166 0314 34.8 18:46 487

I noticed that there was a serial number on the paper backing the adhesive strip on my pantiliner. I looked at the next pantiliner in the box. It had a serial number too:

4 166 0314 34.8 18:46 488.

I didn't bother to check the others. I detected a trend.

Seventies soft-rock-singer-songwriters-turned-Islamic-educators placed on terrorist no-fly lists cannot be traced in time to prevent their admission onto airplanes (thus defeating the purpose of a "no-fly" list) headed to our nation’s capital. Yet I find a serial number on paper backing an adhesive strip that could, perhaps, enable me to trace my pantiliner back to its factory of origin.

And if it can’t enable me to trace my pantiliner back to its factory of origin, then why is it there?