I often wonder how readers accept my stories. Am i just lucky or is something special working in my life? This next opisode us one of those strange occurrences.
I was sober for eighteen months when the following happened. While flying back to New York, we ran into bad weather and landed before reaching New York. This particular plane had an upper deck where a bar was located. The pilot mentioned over the speaker system that the bar was open with free drinks for everyone (hopefully not including himself or the crew). Most of the passengers tooj advantage of this offer, but not me. I was too new at this non-drinking life, and i didn't want to put temptation right in front of me. I was told to avoid slippery places and that open bar could be tempting. Staying in my seat. I started getting a little nervous thinking about that open bar. Maybe i could have a few drinks while on the plane while we waited for the plane to depart. Maybe if yoy have been a problem drinker, you will understand how those tingling glasses can be appealing.
Here comes the strange happening. I started to ask my Higher Power for help. I didn't want to drink, but the pull was there. I started to ask my Higher Power to send me an angel or something to keep my mind off drinking. The seat next to me was empty, and a man who had been upstairs at the open bar asked me if we could talk. My prayer was answered. The man who sat next to me had been drinking but asked to talk to me. I said "Yes." He started to tell me his story, how drinking was ruining his life. He noticed i had a coke. He asked me if i drank alcohol. I said, "Yes." I also informed him that Thanks to a Twelve Step Program i hadn't had a drink in eighteen months. He asked how the program had helped me. I told him what alcohol had done to me, which was not a very pretty story. I also said that i was one of those people who were the last one to know i had a drinking problem. I mentioned my many attempts to stop but how, eventually, i would slip. He started to identify with my experiences. He asked me how i stopped. I told him after my wife divorced me due to my drinking and the fact that i was broke i decided to go to the Twelve Step Program. I discovered the solution to my drinking problem was to not to take that first drink.
He lived in New York City and asked me how could contact people in the Program and start in his own recovery. I told him where some of the meetings were in the City. He could also find a phone number to call to get more information about the Twelve Step Recovery Program. We sat togetherfor the remainder of the flights. We exchanged phone numbers. We never hooked up again.
You never know when the angel will come along just when you need it. Thia time it was me.
Next chapter( SCHOLARSHIP AT LA SALLE ACADEMY)
