Welcome to the nut farm...

An amazing thing happened this morning; I woke up both early and well-rested. So I dressed and headed out for a civilized non-fat latte and cinnamon-walnut croissant at the Cafe on my way to my favorite Sunday morning AA meeting. Now, members of this organization do tend to be very distinct in their individuality and proclivities. But I am always amazed at those who are still very stiff and judgemental, as if they are better alcoholics than the rest of us. One such guy is very visible at meetings, since he dresses impeccably in topcoat and trousers, his silver hair coiffed to the nth, and sits off to the side, kind of like a line judge at a tennis match. Today, he kept his shades on for the whole meeting. Now, the ladies of AA are having a hat and glove luncheon, a benefit for our bookstore, I think, and a dear woman has been announcing this for months. But today, the aforementioned man interjected that this violates our traditions, all this talk about hat and gloves. And even when the purpose of the luncheon was illuminated for him, he held his ground. Now, sober is not the most comfortable state a lot of the time. And as much as I would want to be perfect, it just isn't in my purview. So I sat the rest of the meeting with half a mind on the speaker, and the other obsessing about what an idiot this guy is, and why doesn't someone set him straight? If I were that miserable, I would rather drink. Well, that's not what my sobriety is about, so before I left the meeting, I had reframed the incident to realize that we all live in our little cesspools of fear, and this guy was circling the drain in his. He is adamant in his differentness, which sets him up as some kind of icon. We call his kind "bleeding deacons". No one aspires to this status, it just kind of falls on those who know better than the rest of us the only way to do life. Hell, if I want that, I can go back to the Catholic Church. At least at AA, we take what we want and leave the rest. I am leaving Mr. Suave in his cloud of Aquanet. And I am still capable of amazement at what works for others.