TUI CONFERENCE: Despite his Government's constant infidelity on the issue of pay, one group of teachers at least decided to give the Minister for Education, Dr Woods, one more chance yesterday.
While the Minister appears to be heading for the divorce courts with the ASTI, his relationship with the TUI is coming along nicely, although they will want more than a box of chocolates before they invite him up for a coffee and dispense with their modesty.
However, in case they are portrayed as the harlots of the teacher movement, the union's president, Mr John MacGabhann, issued a warning: "Our members will not be bought out cheaply."
Like somebody who has been on the singles scene for a while and met their share of cads, he added that teachers were frustrated with "giving and giving and not receiving".
Having been given the brush-off by the ASTI in Bundoran, Dr Woods looked surprised when he started getting rounds of applause from delegates and the occasional nodding of heads in agreement.
In his 60s now, the Minister may feel he still has the touch. His relatively low-key speech proceeded without a hint of interruption and when he concluded he had a slightly satisfied look on his face, which suggested he was thinking, "well, at least some teachers like me".
But in his response Mr MacGabhann warned the Minister that a full-blooded relationship was still some way off and Dr Woods would need to go on wooing them, preferably with substantial gifts.
"Substantial in our book means large and generous," Mr MacGabhann explained.
If the Minister was able to win the TUI's hand, Mr MacGabhann added, his reward would be a good old pat on the back, John Wayne style.
"Next year we may be able to welcome you back with a raucous and rowdy 'howdy, partner?' " he said, to peals of laughter.
But before Dr Woods puts on his spurs and stetson he will have to deal with some of the TUI's dark enemies in the VEC sector, Mr MacGabhann said.
Some of these people had "Transylvanian tendencies", he said, which were "draining the lifeblood from the teaching force". Whether in his cowboy boots, a Dracula costume or something more slinky, the Minister - and his Government colleagues - have still not won the teachers' hearts.