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           March the Eleventh Nineteen Eighty Nine at a group named "Young Peoples Group" on Woodley Rd. Mont., Al. There I picked up a white chip.  It was a Friday 8pm meeting.  I remember Terri and Alex B., Bill W.,  Jan C.  Cushing, Judy, Bruce, Della,  Susanne,  Ken,  Bill A., Freda, Joe S., Alinda, Don D.,David,  Joy, James and James and I'm positive there were at least 30 others. I cannot recall all the names at moment ,but see the room and their faces.       I was afraid that night, of what I cannot say, but -you see I was in alanon!  This thing about a chip was embarrassing to me!  Imagine that!

           I had been to the meetings in 1981 and received a 90 day liars chip at Cloverdale group while looking for what you had.   I went to Meadhaven and Episcopal church on bypass..and Downtown too! Oh!  What were those meeting names?   Oh yeah Shoney's after...and as Dave S  said to tell the truth!!  You remember? " They"were not ready!!! To give me what I needed!..so hence eight more years to try insanity with drink, tablets!, other stuff!!, ACOA, therapy, Alanon, and open speaker meetings..and look for and live with bi-polar people!! They will help keep you high if not low..what a ride!  But I figured it all out!----(strictly a pun)---on March the ninth...and toyed with the idea just go to Alanon and not disclose my thinking about this discovery 'cause just maybe....... I was not THAT BAD!.......ha ha ...... but seriously....I thank ....Martha S, Carole C, Shirley Mac(sam), who for 9 YEARS guided me toward the doors of AA and finally I got the message while I carried the MESS...after entering the doors I felt really at home, which is to say , I was at home again and scared.  Inside these rooms I met many a lady, I met NJ and ask her to hear my MESS...Terry to just talk, I met Margaret and she gave me service work ,I met service work at several levels and it enhanced my sobriety.  I found you a wealth of friends, and still have most of them, I know I can call for my life support system. I call my doctor on health, but for my life I call you and you send out a lifeline to rescue me. That is.... only if I call out for help.  I would trust you with my life and have.  

           So on this day in 2008.............I sure want to thank you...........for the lifeline and the MAINLINE...............GOD!            so........Thank you Alcoholics and the 12 steps of the program of AA.