Twelve Years of Sobriety

Reminder that all my new shit is on Substack. 

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Every day I walk my pug in the park. Throw her a tennis ball small enough for her little jaws. I look at birds. I meet people, middle aged women. We talk about our dogs. How old is yours blah blah blah. The dog loves them. She’s thrilled to see her friends. The women are thrilled to get the love they can’t get from their inferior dogs. My dog was bred over thousands of years to be a loving companion. Theirs were meant to hunt rats or pull sleds or what have you, and are only nice as a side gig.

Women and one guy walking his schnauzers every day. A kind man who shook my hand when I moved to the neighborhood. Takes care to make small talk. And I stopped seeing him. It was weeks. I didn’t notice till I saw him again. He was fucked up. His face was swollen and he was walking with a cane. How are you doing man I say. And he says not good bro I just got out of the hospital. And I say what happened and he says alcohol, I have a problem with alcohol.

I go four months and then I take one drink it’s and it’s months fucked up and I wake up in the hospital. This is the fourth time man. And he shows me his belly covered in bruises. He’s worried about his liver. And I say you know I turned twelve years sober yesterday.

Oh no shit

You ever been to AA?

No I never tried it.

Well look you’re an alcoholic. I’m an alcoholic like you. I used to drink every day to the point of intoxication.

What about my liver, you ever have cirrhosis-

Your liver grows back man. Everything grows back when you don’t drink. You’re an alcoholic, and you know it. And it sucks but for alcoholics like us we either stop drinking or we die. Do you want to live? It’s a legit question. People say no and that’s OK. But do you want to live?

Yes

Do you believe in God?

Yes

Well look man me too, God is real. And he put me and you here so we could have this conversation. God put me in the park at this moment and this is how it works. Let’s talk about it. Let me get your number.

And he gives it to me.

And I say I’m gonna call you man and let’s talk. You know there’s a meeting in this park? Sunday?

I’ve seen people sitting- I didn’t know that’s what it is

Yeah there’s a meeting here in this park brother let’s go to it. I won’t lie I know it’s hard not drinking but god damn my life is a million times better, everything’s better. I swear to God it works. I’m gonna call you and let’s go to the meeting man. Yes, he says. Yes.

The meeting’s this morning. Yesterday I texted him, let’s go. And he said nah and I thought SCORE, I’m OFF THE FUCKIN HOOK.