Power of Example

SEVERAL MONTHS ago, a big fellow began appearing at our weekly closed discussion meeting. He was a faithful attender, but not because he loved AA. He was on parole from the state penitentiary, and his attendance at the meeting was anything but voluntary. He made that quite plain. He never had anything to say when called on--not even a ritual "glad to be here"--and during the discussion he would sigh and moan from time to time, as though being subjected to some cruel and unusual punishment. Promptly at nine o'clock, he would get up and leave, whether or not the meeting had ended.