Ambi - there but for the grace etc.
Back in 87 I applied for S61 Shell Brunei since Bristow married accompanied jobs were either:
a) Crap
or
b) Crap
For some inexplicable reason - (my spine was well intact judging by the number of bollockings I received from Bristow at the time) I was offered Shellie Aviation Advisor South America which I declined (graciously I thought) because I was actually very happy with Bristow but just needed a decent MA posting and the AA job was rotational.
I discovered several months later (actually in the Craighaar bar in Aberdeen from the incumbent Shell CP Brunei) that I had committed the ultimate sin and in spite of passing the "Masonry blackballing test" in Brunei had been well and truly disappeared off the radar for refusing a Shellie pensionable job (sorry Mr. Brown but I was young (ISH) and innocent (ISH))
Bollocks - I could have retired by now!
Trog