Page 177 - The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous

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156 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
his problems squarely that God might give him
mastery.
One morning he took the bull by the horns and set
out to tell those he feared what his trouble had been.
He found himself surprisingly well received, and
learned that many knew of his drinking. Stepping
into his car, he made the rounds of people he had
hurt. He trembled as he went about, for this might
mean ruin, particularly to a person in his line of busi­
ness.
At midnight he came home exhausted, but very
happy. He has not had a drink since. As we shall see,
he now means a great deal to his community, and the
major liabilities of thirty years of hard drinking have
been repaired in four.
But life was not easy for the two friends. Plenty of
difficulties presented themselves. Both saw that they
must keep spiritually active. One day they called up
the head nurse of a local hospital. They explained
their need and inquired if she had a first class alcoholic
prospect.
She replied, “Yes, we’ve got a corker. He’s just
beaten up a couple of nurses. Goes off his head com­
pletely when he’s drinking. But he’s a grand chap
when he’s sober, though he’s been in here eight times
in the last six months. Understand he was once a
well-known lawyer in town, but just now we’ve got
him strapped down tight.”*
Here was a prospect all right but, by the description,
none too promising. The use of spiritual principles in

* This refers to Bill’s and Dr. Bob’s first visit to A.A. Number Three.
See the Pioneer Section. This resulted in A.A.’s first group, at Akron,
Ohio, in 1935.