A Day of "AA"

Every night a group of people come together for help and support through each other for their alcohol addictions. We know this better as “AA” or alcoholics anonymous. They gather together at a place that looks like a narrow house. When you walk in there is a small kitchen where they make coffee and refreshments. Recovering alcoholics drink a lot of coffee! Then you walk through a cased opening and there is a large room where everyone sits and talks about their drunken experiences and how many ignorant things they have done while Intoxicated. The room is not like an interrogation room, but a living room with a lot more couches. There were probably eight or nine couches, a couple love seats, and a few recliners. The room smelled of stale cigarettes and fresh smoke. That would be because by every seat there is a full ashtray. Everyone is really nice and willing to help. You can tell which people are there on free will and which are court ordered. The unwilling usually don’t talk as much nor participate. When they start the meetings the people that have been attending at least thirty days without drinking get a medal type object for sticking with the program. Then the longer they have gone the higher the medal will be. Then they let you introduced yourself which would be your name and you would have to state that you are an alcoholic. If you say that you are not then they think you are in denial. After that you read aloud from a book. In this book are stories of drunk people doing ridiculous things and the outcome of their actions. All the stories are horrible. Most people there unfortunately could relate. They will stop after the reading and ask the group questions. Most participate and tell how their stories relate. Its really sad and depressing, but good to know they are trying to get better. Some people have been to every meeting since the place opened. One gentleman said he has been clean for thirteen years. Once you finish with the group meeting they have something they say. Almost like the sinners prayer, only this one is for alcoholics. Kind of like a chant to stay clean. They also have drug addicts in there. In that case you would say your name and say you were an addict instead of an alcoholic. They give you pamplets as well. Those are to help you cope in real life and actual situations you may encounter. That works for some but not everyone. There were also people who have been to meetings and fell off the wagon. When they come back, if they come back, they just start over with the time that they have been sober and the counselors try to help them again. They do that everyday of their life, with some of the same people. They are more than counselors, recovering alcoholics and addicts. They are more like a family. A sober family at that!