T is for Taboo ... A - Z Challenge

Drama at last night's AA meeting.

Showed at the 5:30 meet up a lil later than usual...5:15p instead of 5:05p. I'm a great follower of schedules, showing up early or on time. Another car sat in my self-prescribed parking space. Damn. It's right across the street from the AA house and a straight shot to my car from the front entrance.

Met up with the smokers outside. Me, with my Vaporizer. Hugged Bob, who most resembles a lanky skeleton of a carny, complete with the pony tail, wrinkled dark skin, prison tattoos and of course...scuffed work boots. Although a veteran of the scene, he recently relapsed on bourbon after years of sobriety.

I asked him if he'd seen Billy lately.

"Yeah, he's inside."

I hopped up, hurrying toward the front door when we heard a loud crash...

An AA member had crashed into another member's car. The very spot where I like to park!! From the smoker's circle, a guy named Parker rushed to his car and began yelling and fussing. Then I heard:

"Oh God, it was Dorothy. She hit Parker's car. Figures! And she just bought that car with her tax refund."

Figures?

I know Dorothy. She had 6 days sober to my one --- I met her my first day back in AA - 9 days ago.

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I hustled in the house and into the second room, breezing past Billy, who called out to me in his heavy Bronx accent:

"Ruby! Where you goin?"

Did the moon walk back into the second room (Nah, but it would have been funny), and there sat Billy. All smiles.

"Where the fuck have you been?" I said, matching his smile with that of the Cheshire Cat. "I looked for you at the Tuesday meeting." We hugged. He asked:

"Where were you at the Monday meeting?" No, I did not go that day and decided to stay in and feel somber.

Turns out Billy has been working late. And missed a few meetings. That's all.

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Dorthy finally entered the meeting room, looking visibly distraught. Crying. Shuffling. She brought her little dog, an aging french bulldog named Lucy. Excited is an understatement about how I felt having a pup to play with in the meeting!

I immediately sat beside Dorthy to comfort her. Told her we all make mistakes, a year from now none of this will matter, Jesus still loves you...all that mess. Pulling her close to me...that's when I smelled it: a heavy scent of alcohol. Very strong. Vodka perhaps. I looked into her eyes, which were drooping and half closed. She was sobbing.

Yep. She was wasted. Hence the accident.

Quite TABOO to show up at AA drunk, but this happens frequently.

And talk about awkward. The victim of the crash (Parker) and Dorthy had to sit in the same room for an hour.

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I texted Billy a message about the alcohol on Dorthy's breathe. Actually, since he always sits next to me, I just typed up the text and handed him my phone. He read it and nodded, whispering, "I caught a whiff of it when she walked by."

Half way through the meeting, a very stoned Dorothy stood up and attempted to leave the meeting. Heading home or to the liquor store, I'm sure (POOR LUCY!!! With a drunk mommy).

"Someone should take her keys away," Billy said under his breath. 

And before Dorothy could get out the door, Billy stood up and followed her. Along with Bob, the carny, who chased after Billy.

A few minutes later, Billy reappeared. He talked Bob into driving Dorothy (and Lucy) home.

My hero. He's seriously *such* a good-hearted man. Misunderstood by society based on his appearance. 

Going to the meeting tonight ... 5:30p. Hoping to see Dorothy and Billy.

Grateful it wasn't *my* car. As I'm certain my night would have ended up in the bottom of a vodka bottle. Seriously.