Unless the plane had already pulled away they should have let you on, especially as it was gonna cost them $$ to put you on UA.

BTW you said you were there 17 mins before, on whos watch? If yours , did yours and the one on the wall or somewhere else match. I ask that since at times my watch is a few minutes off, so if it was 12 mins before its a different problem.

No reason for the lying or actually for getting the flight out ahead of time, did your father say anything to the crew as he didnt see you pass by to go to the back? why not? I would have said youre closing the door yet my companion who I left in the PC Club hasnt boarded as yet, and we are leaving before the self-destructing time limit.

I dont know where the PC Club is but you said you left the Club 20 mins before departure time and then you were at the gate 17 mins before which is before the 15 min deadline. Is the gate really only a 3 min walk from the Club? When you said 20 mins was that from being outside the Club in the Term?

Dont want to pick on the small things but as I said I dont know the set-up at ORD or MDW, but from what I know of most Clubs its alot more then 3 mins to the Gates, and thats with most Airline Clubs not only aCOs PC.