so here is the experience in gory detail:

instead of it printing out a "pass" to clear customs, there is a black "x" through it (dont remember what it says on the paper maybe like proceed to border control or s/t? when they walked me thru GE, they showed me what this "scenario" would entail). for some reason, I guess i was randomly selected for extra screening despite the fact that I had no snails cell cultures and whatever other odd garbage they ask if you are carrying.

had I checked in bags (which I rarely if ever do), I would have had to proceed to the baggage claim and wait for my bags, and then head back toward the area where they search your bags for more questions. but since I only had a carryon, I went right over to that area. there was a line (about 10 people), but I kinda snuck up to the front and said to the CBP agent "I have global entry and it printed out this X for me," and he said just wait here til I finish with this woman and then we will process you...

so I cut the line, and then an agent asked me what I bought abroad (nothing), do I have any food (no, obviously, I already checked off no, remember?), and asked if I mind if she checked my 2 carryon bags (sure). she just opened them up and did a very cursory (IMO) search, whole thing took under 2 min, then said "I apologize for the trouble, welcome back home," and i was on my way!

this was quite a pleasure for me, before global entry, when we had been selected for "extra screening" between waiting in that second line and having them search every nook and cranny of our bags for drugs or who knows what, and then confiscated my crying infant son's formula aka "food not allowed to be brought into the country" / contraband(purchased in the US before our trip), the entire hellish ordeal took about an hour.