Page 167 - The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous

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146 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
employer can many times protect the victim from this
kind of talk. The employer cannot play favorites, but
he can always defend a man from needless provoca­
tion and unfair criticism.
As a class, alcoholics are energetic people. They
work hard and they play hard. Your man should be
on his mettle to make good. Being somewhat weak­
ened, and faced with physical and mental readjust­
ment to a life which knows no alcohol, he may overdo.
You may have to curb his desire to work sixteen hours
a day. You may need to encourage him to play once
in a while. He may wish to do a lot for other alco­
holics and something of the sort may come up during
business hours. A reasonable amount of latitude will
be helpful. This work is necessary to maintain his
sobriety.
After your man has gone along without drinking
for a few months, you may be able to make use of his
services with other employees who are giving you the
alcoholic run-around—provided, of course, they are
willing to have a third party in the picture. An alco­
holic who has recovered, but holds a relatively un­
important job, can talk to a man with a better position.
Being on a radically different basis of life, he will never
take advantage of the situation.
Your man may be trusted. Long experience with
alcoholic excuses naturally arouses suspicion. When
his wife next calls saying he is sick, you might jump
to the conclusion he is drunk. If he is, and is still
trying to recover, he will tell you about it even if it
means the loss of his job. For he knows he must be
honest if he would live at all. He will appreciate
knowing you are not bothering your head about him,