My Friend
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Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 320
My Friend
The treatment center van dropped us off at the meeting. I noticed the driver didn’t go in with us. I thought of running away. He said you will be back one way or another. I went into the room full of old guys all smoking like crazy. After the meeting I walked up to one of the fellows and asked him to be my sponsor. Some of his friends were standing nearby and I noticed them roll their eyes as I asked the man. I over heard them saying stuff to him about how young people cant get clean.
He asked me to have a seat and let’s talk a minute so I did. He asked me where I was in the steps and I told him I had just finished my 5th step in treatment and he said “oh really”. He then asked me what color the curtains were on the windows in the meeting room. I told him red and he said NO they are blue, see there you got lots to learn. I thought he was being a smart ass since most old timers are smart asses. He said first of all we will start at step one and work our way through the steps. This pissed me off since I had already worked step 1-5.
He told me to go to meetings and I did. He told me to get involved, and I did.
After about nine months I noticed a cute girl coming out of an Al-Anon meeting. I asked him if I should ask her out on a date. He said hell no. I thought he was being a smart ass so I asked her out. I continued to go to meeting and work the steps. I got busy with service work and carried the message of hope and recovery. Nine years later that old timer stood next to me in court as my divorce became final. He held me as the pain processed its way through my life at that time.
Having a few years under my belt he introduced me to a crack head and told me to be his sponsor. I rolled my eyes and told him crack heads cant get clean. I am too busy to put up with him; I am going through a difficult marriage ECT. He said I needed to do this to save my own life. Again I thought he was being a smart ass.
I wanted to go to college and he said I could do anything I wanted too if I tried. I came to him many times complaining and wanting to quit school because I was tired. I wanted to take a break. He told me to push through the feelings and to continue. He told me to finish something for once in my life. That old timer took the time out his day to watch me walk across the stage four different times to receive four different college degrees.
As I found love again he was my best man at our wedding. We wanted children so badly. We lost 8 pregnancies due to miscarriages. I was at my bottom I could go no lower. The thought of giving up became more and more a daily thought. He held me as the pain processed through my soul. Then we got pregnant again. We went full term. We had the parties and showers only to have a still born. That old timer took that dead baby from my arms and held us both as we melted in pain.
Shortly there after the crack head called like he has done every since we met. He asked me to present him with his seventeen year medallion. I pick up the old timer from the nursing home and took him with me to the meeting. It was quite an event.
He asked me to sit and visit a while after the meeting and we did. He asked me what color the curtains were on the windows. I looked up at them and they were blue. I told him they were blue. He said, well now, while you were going to meetings, helping others, doing service work you have changed and they said young people can’t get clean.
John Rainer Hawkins past away last week. He was a great man. I only have one regret. I wish he could have met Bryson Rainer Higgins my 3 year old son.
Joe H
9/9/84
He asked me to have a seat and let’s talk a minute so I did. He asked me where I was in the steps and I told him I had just finished my 5th step in treatment and he said “oh really”. He then asked me what color the curtains were on the windows in the meeting room. I told him red and he said NO they are blue, see there you got lots to learn. I thought he was being a smart ass since most old timers are smart asses. He said first of all we will start at step one and work our way through the steps. This pissed me off since I had already worked step 1-5.
He told me to go to meetings and I did. He told me to get involved, and I did.
After about nine months I noticed a cute girl coming out of an Al-Anon meeting. I asked him if I should ask her out on a date. He said hell no. I thought he was being a smart ass so I asked her out. I continued to go to meeting and work the steps. I got busy with service work and carried the message of hope and recovery. Nine years later that old timer stood next to me in court as my divorce became final. He held me as the pain processed its way through my life at that time.
Having a few years under my belt he introduced me to a crack head and told me to be his sponsor. I rolled my eyes and told him crack heads cant get clean. I am too busy to put up with him; I am going through a difficult marriage ECT. He said I needed to do this to save my own life. Again I thought he was being a smart ass.
I wanted to go to college and he said I could do anything I wanted too if I tried. I came to him many times complaining and wanting to quit school because I was tired. I wanted to take a break. He told me to push through the feelings and to continue. He told me to finish something for once in my life. That old timer took the time out his day to watch me walk across the stage four different times to receive four different college degrees.
As I found love again he was my best man at our wedding. We wanted children so badly. We lost 8 pregnancies due to miscarriages. I was at my bottom I could go no lower. The thought of giving up became more and more a daily thought. He held me as the pain processed through my soul. Then we got pregnant again. We went full term. We had the parties and showers only to have a still born. That old timer took that dead baby from my arms and held us both as we melted in pain.
Shortly there after the crack head called like he has done every since we met. He asked me to present him with his seventeen year medallion. I pick up the old timer from the nursing home and took him with me to the meeting. It was quite an event.
He asked me to sit and visit a while after the meeting and we did. He asked me what color the curtains were on the windows. I looked up at them and they were blue. I told him they were blue. He said, well now, while you were going to meetings, helping others, doing service work you have changed and they said young people can’t get clean.
John Rainer Hawkins past away last week. He was a great man. I only have one regret. I wish he could have met Bryson Rainer Higgins my 3 year old son.
Joe H
9/9/84
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