It was tense. Speakers were professional, and gave the same explanation you've read here as to how all this came about. Questions were emotional and answers were not well received.

I could bottom-line my impressions, but to be honest I spent the whole meeting doubled over, breathing into my hands, trying not to hyperventilate. These were nice guys, and one of them (John L.) did me a great service once when he was pro stans. But all I could think of were my kids, and the fact I will lose many thousands over this, and my union didn't lift a finger. For 20 years they fought it, yes, but not this time.

These nice, professional men rejected multiple attempts at this argument: our MEC could have opposed the rule change, and the outcome would have been the same. We still would have lost the fight, but our guys would have gotten a swing or two in before we hit the canvas.

But, we got a Profile in Courage instead. To what end, I don't know - though there were some dark references last night to national ALPA aspirations. Whatever... I hope it was worth it.

And to my inevitable detractors - go ahead. Tell us we need to just be thankful. Tell us we just don't understand true "leadership." Ask me how many airlines I've worked at (again), or if I was military or how I'm all about me me me......

What you'll be doing is jamming home a nasty idea that's growing in my head - that I'm just a piece of a member, at any rate until I'm up in top half of the list, and the left side of the cockpit....