Spanners - I feel you and I likely started fixing planes at about the same time. I personally believe MEL's are unique in the books we have in that I think they are deliberately compiled to confuse. It's probably the one book that is the last minute authority for the pilot and engineer in which to discuss and find that middle ground. Yes you are correct and I too always ask and confer but the end of the matter is always the black and white of the established and published maintenance procedures. I learn something new about aeroplanes a zillion times a day at work. As the sayiong goes, 38 years experience, none of it relevant !
Terry