ok...
thx again for the responses.

to UAs credit, they did offer me AA and Delta 1st options without being prodded...just none of them got me home in time for daughters concert, so i didn't see the point

i do like the verbiage of "displaced" and will have to employ that in future

h-up fares...i got through w/ gs service and they confirmed i was not on h-up fare....here's how she dissected the situation yesterday:
> was booked thru on A fares
> when i took the middle seat i was demoted to a Y fare
> what "should" have happened was put on a wait list for available 1st, not
the upgrade list
> agent should have been able to see by looking at original ticket that booked
class of service was A