Page 194 - The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous

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DOCTOR BOB’S NIGHTMARE 179
should be subjected to the tortures we inflict upon
them, I cannot explain.
About this time a lady called up my wife one Satur­
day afternoon saying she wanted me to come over that
evening to meet a friend of hers who might help me.
It was the day before Mother’s Day and I had come
home plastered, carrying a big potted plant which I
set down on the table and forthwith went upstairs and
passed out. The next day she called again. Wishing
to be polite, though I felt very badly, I said, “Let’s
make the call,” and extracted from my wife a promise
that we would not stay over fifteen minutes.
We entered her house at exactly five o’clock and it
was eleven fifteen when we left. I had a couple of
shorter talks with this man afterward, and stopped
drinking abruptly. This dry spell lasted for about three
weeks; then I went to Atlantic City to attend several
days’ meeting of a national society of which I was a
member. I drank all the scotch they had on the train
and bought several quarts on my way to the hotel.
This was on Sunday. I got tight that night, stayed
sober Monday till after the dinner, and then proceeded
to get tight again. I drank all I dared in the bar, and
then went to my room to finish the job. Tuesday I
started in the morning, getting well organized by noon.
I did not want to disgrace myself so I then checked
out. I bought some more liquor on the way to the
depot. I had to wait some time for the train. I remem­
ber nothing from then on until I woke up at a friend’s
house, in a town near home. These good people noti­
fied my wife, who sent my newly made friend over to
get me. He came and got me home and to bed, gave