My introduction to "the Union"...

As a naive "virgin" to the world of unions, I had no preconcieved notions as what to expect... other than what I had heard over the years... rumors, jokes, stories of the "mafia" type organizations... to which I told myself, "surely, in this day and time, these are all just antiquated exagerations"... Myself, coming from a black and white, seemingly clear-cut free-market(non-union) background, well, I went in to this experience with my eyes wide open... as always... I would allow what I personally experienced to form my opinion of what it was to be in a union... without prejudice.

Upon arrival to headquarters, I was quickly sucked into the finely oiled machine that "processed" it's members as it had for many, many years I learned... When I say the atmosphere was strange... strange like being in some sort of time warp where a period in time was frozen, at a standstill... The ambiance just had a "smell" of the early 20th century... I quickly picked up on an "uneasy fear" that the "guests" of the union seemed to walk around with.... this chit was like nothing I had ever seen before. I could immediately "sense" a bully behind the scenes if that makes any sense....

Entering the military-style check station at the front gate, it was immediately made known that the union was in charge of every move made... they had their own rules, their own regulations, and their own "enforcers"... which I would meet soon enough...