Well, here I was at the far end of the world AA. Life was just about over. Happiness and fun had left the building. Survival was the order of the day. My wife had said: if I came home she would put a peace bond on me and my friend who I was staying with said " Start looking for a place to go " This called for a master con. ( my specialty ) I knew this AA stuff was not going to work, after reading the first three steps. God? Did you say God? Maybe I could use Santa or the Easter Bunny, I figured the would be just as effective. I was raise a Southern Baptist. I was tough " Ask and ye shall receive", "Knock and the door will be opened" and let me tell you I had knocked, kicked, banged, ask, pleaded and beg. I had the feeling if God spoke to me he would say: " You know,  Mike there is just something about you that pisses me off"

I had promised sobriety too many times, to too many people. So I could not just get up and walk out of AA even tough I new it would not work. So here was the plan: I would do every thing, I mean everything they said for a time and then when I quit; I could say; “Look, I did it, it did not work for me I am different” ……Then they could say: “ But did you really work the program?” I could say: “yes!” Then, they would say: “but did you ….. do thus and so?” times five or ten. And each time I could say “YES”; Then they could say: “YOU POOR THING” ( I loved that part of the plan) “Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly follow our path” (Big Book, AA Beginning Chapter 5) It is a funny thing about the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. It works! You can not work the program of Alcoholics Anonymous and things not get better. After all these years I am still not sure why. I was just going to do it till the end of the 90 days they suggested. On The 91st day I decide I would try for just one more day. I am still trying it out. The con job backfired, (thank God). Life has never been better. I am not rich, I do not have many of the thing most people think they need to be happy. But then I am not sure most people know what happiness is.

Keep you powder dry, see you next time Ripple says; “Holy Gin Bottles, Blotoman, wake up”