A Fleeting Glimpse

The phone rings, often in the late evening, and on the other end of the line we hear tears, distress and the unmistakable pain of an active alcoholic getting a fleeting glimpse of the reality of his/her life. Sometimes there is deep sobbing, sometimes descriptions of specific painful incidents, and occasionally clear admissions, such as “ I know I have a real problem with alcohol“ or “I’m an alcoholic. I’ve known it for a long time.” The call can go on for a few minutes or much longer, but there seems to be a moment of clarity in this desperate person’s voice, or so we hope.