I'm a bipolar writer in the Naked City. I'm not playing with a full deck. I don't have all my dots on the dice. My cheese is sliding off my cracker. I don't have both oars in the water. I'm a bubble off plum. In other words, I'm crazier than a shithouse rat. These are my stories. Comments--short or long, nasty or nice--always welcome!
Here's a typical AA anniversary party as BG saw it for AA: Threat or Menace? As soon as we joined this particular AA group, we somehow found ourselves constantly setting up, cleaning up, buying the cakes, serving the cakes--all in the name of AA "service"--and because the other members were just not "reliable."
posted by elvira black @ 9:11 PM
I'm a sometimes psychotic writer in NYC. I published reviews, features, and humor pieces for NYC papers. Until I fired myself. For private rants, e-mail me at bowlegarivle@yahoo.com.
| www.flickr.com |
Technorati Profile
|
|
6 Comments:
Blackie,
It's seems to be the same for all group ventures which are set up on somewhat of a volunteer basis.
I've been roped into many little chores that had to be done before, during, and/or after the meeting. It never fails, only a "select few"
ever volunteer to do wash the dishes, clean the tables, make the greeting cards, etc.
The select few are called "saps", and I have been one before for a few groups. I guess I love to be a "smooze", like the old newspaper cartoon character on "Little Orphan Annie". He was always being stepped on, and mostly loved to be violently punished for no other reason other than being alive.
BLLB
BLLB:
Oh yeah. You know what they say: if you want something done, ask a busy person to do it...
Thing is, BG volunteered for a lot of this stuff. As you know, he tends to go all out one way or the other. He overcommitted himself, and developed resentments. He was even warned about this by some of the AA elders.
So often when people go into a cause or group with starry eyed idealism, they are bound to be hurt and disillusioned eventually. In our case, we had the freedom to just say no. Perhaps some of your volunteerism was for work-related reasons, and it was in your best interests to be the stand-up guy.
In any case, a mitzvah (good deed) is always a good thing. Selfish people tend to get treated in the same way they treat others, sooner or later. I think they pay a dear price in the end--even if it's only having to live with themselves.
Yes SG, you're so right. BG and I both have the problem of "over commitment" to many causes. We get it from St G, I think.
As a kid, Squealer and I worked in a few "Goodwill Huts" where we would put together toys for tots. This volunteer work was done during our summer vacation time, set up by you know who.
BG probably did the same, along with Bunky, as a youngster, and this activity spurred this need to continue to do altruistic deeds to get good kurma. Maybe he didn't see it that way at the time. (I sure didn't know what affect it would have on me either).
Later, I worked on Homer's farm- and continued feeding the good karma machine. BG had also worked summers on the farm in earlier times. We followed the same path of doing good, at the expense of ourselves. (More volunteer work to meet obligations and standards created by others).
Being a "stand-up guy" has its rewards, but is hard to understand it during the times you are doing those deeds. Maybe, the point of building good karma is supposed to have some mystery to it.
Only now, looking back, can I see some measure of an instilled quality that took time to grow. I think BG may also review those earlier times and discover a lost value of first "thinking of others before thinking of oneself". BLLB
ROFL !!!
I'm choking!
That is so dead on it's actually kind of eerie. The Sponser Zombie lurking up to you the moment you arrive; some skank scratching her snatch, usually while bumming a smoke from you....
I didn't know you could Twelve Step your way out of stupidity. There are some people I would like to see go through Step Nine for that. LOL
BLLB:
Yes, I don't doubt the value of doing good deeds with no immediate reward. One mitzvah can lead to many others--not the least of which is becoming a kind, caring, and empathetic person--as you are!
H:
Yeah, that is the spitting image of Skank Girl herself--girlfriend of Skank Boy. They loved to regale us with tales of their kinky sex life, punctuated by icky smoochies in front of us. Oh, ick! Get me a drink, quick!
Speaking of which, she also liked to spit on the ground outside the church where our meeting was held--very street-junkie style.
The other old-timer woman was very nice, but kind of a yenta. She constantly broke other's anonymity--for instance, she'd rag on someone's qualification by saying, "yeah, so and so is nice, but goes on and on too much. He's also got mental issues, you know". Or--"Skank Girl was a hooker" (I gathered this myself when she started to talk about one of her "tricks." Old-timer woman also weaseled our address and phone numbers out of us, claiming that we're "anonymous, except amongst ourselves." Yeah, quirky people, those AA'ers.
Blackie,
Wow, it's a blast to read this stuff. I love the names of "Skank Girl ...". I just wonder if you and BG can see through their many malfunctions to get some good out of those meetings.
Squealer used to tell me about some AA meetings he had attended years ago. He had similar stories of "moochers" who bummed cigs off him. Now that he doesn't smoke, I wonder what they would want to get from him, if he happened to go to a meeting? Just money, I bet.
It sounds like what you said earlier about getting mitzvah out of things, (even these meetings somehow). I guess giving away your cigs for free is the price one must pay to get the real rewards in life. Hmmm... so nice!
BLLB
Post a Comment
<< Home