After having worked here in the ME for 8 years I can tell you this... John would have been under extreme pressure to give up his seat. His thoughts in those few moments would have been dominated by fear of losing his job, security, family et al, and when you are faced with a situation like that you WILL relinquish... Hindsight is a wonderful thing and with that particular crystal ball to hand I wish (IF THE BACK SEAT THEORY IS PROVED CORRECT) he would have shaiked the hand, bowed gracefully and kept walking all the way back to the security of his smokers seat near the hangar and gracefully watched the superior departure...
