I was in Alabama at my Wednesday AA meeting. A speaker meeting.
The speaker told the story of a newcomer he met years earlier. The newcomer, holidaying in Gulf Shores, had called AA for help. He was passed on to our speaker for a Twelve Step call. They met for coffee.
Our speaker picked up the story, “He was a nice guy. From the north, New Jersey, with an authentic ‘Joisey’ accent. A bit shaky from the night before. The story came out. He was on holiday with his wife. He admitted that his wife had complained about his drinking in the past, and for this holiday in Alabama, he had promised he would behave. What he forgot to tell her was that he might behave badly.
“They had arrived the day before. Ignoring his promise not to drink, he got drunk. She found him passed out on the deck that morning. With no sympathy for his hung-over state, she made it clear, ‘get help or get out.’ He called AA.
“Coincidently,” the speaker reported, “my regular AA meeting was that night. It was a small meeting, and we welcomed newcomers. So, I suggested he come. It was agreed; I gave him the address and the meeting time.”
The story continued, “There was the usual gathering before the meeting, and everyone welcomed our new northern friend. There was joking and casual banter; we made sure he had a Big Book and lots of names and numbers. The chairman of the meeting asked our friend if he would read How It Works. Everyone agreed it would be a great introduction for him; the newbie agreed.
“The meeting started in the usual fashion. With the preliminaries out of the way, my pigeon opened the Big Book and read. He warned us that he had never read this before.
“It was a good reading. Hearing How It Works read with a New Jersey accent made it seem more impactful. He finished the introductory paragraphs and began to read the Steps. He got to the Seventh Step.
“He must have been reading ahead because he read the Seventh Step, hesitated, and exclaimed, ‘Jesus Christ!’
“Catching himself, he apologized, then read the Eighth Step where we promised to make amends to everyone we have harmed.
“Inadvertently, our new friend made a serious point. Step Eight was a serious Step. It was a serious Step that warranted the unscripted blurt.
Our speaker continued, “We sometimes gloss over the challenge that a fair reading of the Steps demands.”
When I first came to the Program, I was much less discerning than the newcomer in this story. So when I first read the Steps, I thought, these are not such a big deal. I can skate through this.
It was only after several iterations through the Steps that I began to see just how important and significant the Steps were. And that unveiling continues today with an ever deeper appreciation of the import of the actions that are suggested.
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