Hey folks. Dale, an alcoholic and your Grapevine Rep. I could link you to the exclusive online stories, but you will get one of those, “Log in to Read More” messages from the Grapevine. Bummer. You have to subscribe to get “the whole story”. I will post one them of them here in full (with permission) so you can see what you are missing. Want a subscription? Enter the e-AA contest at the end of the reading. It is our gift to you.
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Tom
A message of gratitude to the selfless friend who made sure he got to treatment and started him on his way to a quarter-century of sobriety.
Twenty-five years ago, a great, selfless guy asked me on the phone: “If money were no object, what kind of car would you drive?”
I stammered and said: “I guess a Mercedes.”
“Great!” the selfless friend replied. “I’ll call you back in 10 minutes. Don’t leave the phone!”
I hung up and waited, without a clue as to what would come next. It was all very mysterious. Then, in far less than 10 minutes, the phone rang again. It was that selfless friend.
“You need to have your bag packed and you need to be ready at 9:00AM tomorrow. There is going to be a dark green Mercedes that will pull down your street. Do you know Brook? She is going to be taking you to treatment. Don’t make her wait for you. Don’t smoke in her car. Be nice to her! Remember she’s doing you a favor!”
My mind was racing even more with all the mysterious unknowns of the next day. My arms were heavy, my palms were sweaty and I was very thirsty. I couldn’t imagine what life was going to be like for me in the next few days, but the fear of getting another DUI, along with the threat of going to jail again, coupled with the undeniable truth that I was one of those people with no control whatsoever when I took the first drink, sent my mind reeling with thoughts and emotions.
Brook did arrive the next morning, April 6, 1988. Promptly. She was very kind but firm. I knew she smelled the liquor and cigarette smoke on me, it must have been oozing out all my pores. The drive seemed to take forever. After the first few miles, she gave up on trying to carry on a civil conversation. My mind was so far into fearful thoughts and so foggy from all the booze I’d drank last night, that I would have made bad company even for a houseplant.
We finally arrived at the treatment center. Brook got out to make sure we had stopped at the right place while I was getting my bag out of the car. As I shut the back door, holding my bag in my hand, she came right back out, walking quite fast, and saying over her shoulder: “ This is the right place. Good luck and I’ll be seeing you around.” Without slowing her pace, she got back into her car, put it in reverse, waved quickly and left.
Little did I know, I was already well into a journey that would completely change every aspect of my life. It certainly didn’t feel like it at the time, but I had indeed ‘hit the lottery’ of a lifetime. I have been collecting the rewards, every day since. I can’t give every single bit of credit to my selfless friend who arranged all that, but I believe without a doubt, that my life would look a whole lot different without him. I honor him and his selfless actions of that day, and on so many others.
I like to tell that story, because it’s a story of how one person can change the world. He made it possible for me to find the tools to change mine. Because my life is so much richer, the lives of all the people I’ve been in contact with over these years have had the opportunity to be richer as well. I celebrate the fruits of my friend’s acts of selfless kindness every day.
Thank you, Tom!
John B., Peacham,Vt.
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Peace and Sobriety,
Dale B.
E-AA GVR