To the Newly Anonymous

TO start with if I had it to do over I'd keep it to myself I am an AA instead of enthusiastically telling my friends. This led some to say "For goodness sakes, I didn't know you drank like that!" Explanations. Then the friend who says: "Well, I wish you'd do something for that awful John Smith; look at his poor wife etc. etc." Explanations again: We cannot drag John Smith to a meeting without John Smith's consent. Then there's our neighbor who calls "There's a drunkard sitting on my doorsteps. Please send an AA around!" Explanations: We are not policemen. Says she: "Well, I thought it was your business to cure these drunkards!" Explanations: We can cure no one; only show him the way as shown to us. Says she: "Well, it seems to me like you ought to do something to get this horrible man off my steps. I'd call my husband but he's at work!" Explanations: AA's also work and can't drop tools or ledger every time a drunk appears on the horizon, otherwise we'd lose our jobs and starve our families; but if the man wishes contact with us some AA's will gladly call after working hours. She gets the last word anyhow: "Well, I'm sorry I bothered you if you feel that way about it but I thought you liked to help people!". . .Twenty minutes gone to pot; a cool glance from the boss who looks meaningly at a sign on his desk. "Use telephone for emergency only."