of pouring that first drink.”
“Don’t congratulate me yet.”
“Are you reading your One Year Bible ?”
“Every day.”
“Have you found a church yet?”
He made excuses. No time. Too much work to do .
“You know what you have to do to make it work, Decker. So what’s really stopping you?”
Stephen knew what he had to do all right, but that didn’t make it easy. “I’ve never attended a church other than the services at the facility, and we were all on the same footing. Every man in that place was an alcoholic or drug addict or both.”
“Oh, I get it. You figure you have to clean up your life completely before you have the right to set foot in a regular church. Right? You know, you don’t have to brand an A on your forehead.”
Stephen gave a low laugh.
“No one expects you to walk into a church and say, ‘Hi, my name is Stephen Decker, and I’m a recovering alcoholic.’ Save that for your AA meetings. By the way, I haven’t seen you at any meetings lately.”
“I know that, but it still galls me that I can’t do this on my own.”
“It galled me, too, Stephen. And the first time, I didn’t make it because I let my pride get in the way. Remember what we talked about? The devil prowls like a lion. Alcoholics tend to live in self-imposed isolation. That makes us easy prey. Have you looked for an AA meeting?”
“There’s no guarantee these feelings will go away if I do start going to church.”
“And no guarantee they won’t. One thing you will have, though.”
“And what’s that?”
“Accountability.”
Back to that again. “Okay. Okay. So what’s the procedure?”
“You walk in the door. You sit down, and you listen.”
“Easier said than done.” The last time he’d walked in, sat down, and listened to a church service, it was because it was required in order to stay in the facility and get the help he needed. By the end of the six months, he’d found himself waiting for Sundays. But he hadn’t attended a service since graduating from rehab. He was thirsty again. Better if he drank deeply from the Living Water than from a bottle of scotch. “Thanks, Rick.”
“Anytime. I’ll pick you up for a meeting or for church. All you have to do is ask. Mindy and I are praying for you, Stephen. Every morning. Just remember. Take it one day at a time.”
“Yeah.” Some days were harder than others.
He hung up, but he still couldn’t rid himself of the restlessness. He was hungry now, but didn’t feel like cooking for himself. Grabbing his keys, he went out to find a place to eat. As he drove down Main Street, he spotted two guys from his crew going into the Wagon Wheel Saloon and Restaurant. It would be easy to pull over and join them, and hard to say no when they ordered the first round of drinks.
He found his way to Charlie’s Diner instead. The parking lot had two spaces left. People. Too many people. He fought the urge to turn around and head back to the grocery store and home again, but Rick was right. He did tend to isolate himself, and the more isolated he was, the harder it was to fight the temptation to buy a bottle of good scotch and take that first drink that would send him into the black hole again.
“Hey! Stephen Decker came back, Charlie!” Sally called to her husband. “I told you I didn’t chase him away!”
“So, invite him to sit down and give him a menu, why don’t’cha?”
“Would you like a booth, or would you prefer to sit at the counter?”
Stephen looked around and saw one booth left. It was back in the corner. If he took it, he would have complete privacy. He could eat alone and then go home again to his empty apartment and brood some more. “Counter,” he said.
Grinning, Sally waved her hand. “Pick your spot.”
He took a stool near the middle and opened the menu she handed him.
“Our special this evening is roast beef with garlic mashed potatoes and baby carrots. It comes with a fresh-baked roll and your choice of
“Don’t congratulate me yet.”
“Are you reading your One Year Bible ?”
“Every day.”
“Have you found a church yet?”
He made excuses. No time. Too much work to do .
“You know what you have to do to make it work, Decker. So what’s really stopping you?”
Stephen knew what he had to do all right, but that didn’t make it easy. “I’ve never attended a church other than the services at the facility, and we were all on the same footing. Every man in that place was an alcoholic or drug addict or both.”
“Oh, I get it. You figure you have to clean up your life completely before you have the right to set foot in a regular church. Right? You know, you don’t have to brand an A on your forehead.”
Stephen gave a low laugh.
“No one expects you to walk into a church and say, ‘Hi, my name is Stephen Decker, and I’m a recovering alcoholic.’ Save that for your AA meetings. By the way, I haven’t seen you at any meetings lately.”
“I know that, but it still galls me that I can’t do this on my own.”
“It galled me, too, Stephen. And the first time, I didn’t make it because I let my pride get in the way. Remember what we talked about? The devil prowls like a lion. Alcoholics tend to live in self-imposed isolation. That makes us easy prey. Have you looked for an AA meeting?”
“There’s no guarantee these feelings will go away if I do start going to church.”
“And no guarantee they won’t. One thing you will have, though.”
“And what’s that?”
“Accountability.”
Back to that again. “Okay. Okay. So what’s the procedure?”
“You walk in the door. You sit down, and you listen.”
“Easier said than done.” The last time he’d walked in, sat down, and listened to a church service, it was because it was required in order to stay in the facility and get the help he needed. By the end of the six months, he’d found himself waiting for Sundays. But he hadn’t attended a service since graduating from rehab. He was thirsty again. Better if he drank deeply from the Living Water than from a bottle of scotch. “Thanks, Rick.”
“Anytime. I’ll pick you up for a meeting or for church. All you have to do is ask. Mindy and I are praying for you, Stephen. Every morning. Just remember. Take it one day at a time.”
“Yeah.” Some days were harder than others.
He hung up, but he still couldn’t rid himself of the restlessness. He was hungry now, but didn’t feel like cooking for himself. Grabbing his keys, he went out to find a place to eat. As he drove down Main Street, he spotted two guys from his crew going into the Wagon Wheel Saloon and Restaurant. It would be easy to pull over and join them, and hard to say no when they ordered the first round of drinks.
He found his way to Charlie’s Diner instead. The parking lot had two spaces left. People. Too many people. He fought the urge to turn around and head back to the grocery store and home again, but Rick was right. He did tend to isolate himself, and the more isolated he was, the harder it was to fight the temptation to buy a bottle of good scotch and take that first drink that would send him into the black hole again.
“Hey! Stephen Decker came back, Charlie!” Sally called to her husband. “I told you I didn’t chase him away!”
“So, invite him to sit down and give him a menu, why don’t’cha?”
“Would you like a booth, or would you prefer to sit at the counter?”
Stephen looked around and saw one booth left. It was back in the corner. If he took it, he would have complete privacy. He could eat alone and then go home again to his empty apartment and brood some more. “Counter,” he said.
Grinning, Sally waved her hand. “Pick your spot.”
He took a stool near the middle and opened the menu she handed him.
“Our special this evening is roast beef with garlic mashed potatoes and baby carrots. It comes with a fresh-baked roll and your choice of
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