Time To Shake Some Hands

There was a time in AA when folks often came to meetings drunk, looking beat up and with the shakes. Old-timers would get up and greet them. If they were belligerently intoxicated, the old-timers would leave the room with the person and have a private conversation so as to not disturb the rest of the meeting. If the person was shaking, only a half cup of coffee was offered so that they wouldn’t burn or spill it all over themselves. Members would even tell of stopping at a bar on the way to the hospital with a person to get them a couple drinks rather than risk having the DTs killing them before they got there.