Just for Today (2 page)

The person

on the other end

told Abby

where and when

the next meeting

would be.

“They meet

every day

at the same place,”

he said.

“But you can’t

make him go,

you know.

He will have to go

on his own.

It has to be

when he is ready.”

Then he told Abby

about Al-Anon.

“Their meetings

are for you,”

he said.

“You can learn ways

to help

your loved one.

And yourself too.”

Biff made it to work

the next day.

But the boss

stopped him at the door.

“We need to talk,”

the boss said.

“You have

two choices,”

he began.

“You can

stop drinking.

Or you can

find another job.”

“I don’t have

a drinking problem,”

said Biff.

“It’s only

a stomach problem.”

The boss

did not believe Biff.

“When you show up,

you’re slow,”

he said.

“And when you

don’t show up,

you’re of no use at all

to the company.”

Biff was looking

at the floor.

“You think you have

a stomach problem?

Then you need to see

the company doctor.

Let him

check out

your stomach problem.

Go see the doctor.

Now.”

The doctor

looked Biff over.

Then he asked Biff

some key questions:

Is drinking giving you

any trouble at home?

Do you ever feel sorry

for the things you did

when you were drinking?

Do you have money problems

because of drinking?

Do you drink

to get away from

your problems?

Do you ever forget

what you did

when you were drinking?

Do you drink alone much?

Biff knew

the honest answer

to every question.

The honest answer

was “yes.”

When Biff got home,

he asked Abby

for a drink.

“Just a beer,”

he said.

“In fact,

make it

a light beer.”

“I learned something,”

said Abby.

“Light beer

can have as much alcohol

as any beer.”

Biff didn’t want

to hear Abby.

He got himself

a beer.

He drank

four cans

before dinner.

“You just drank

as much alcohol

as four mixed drinks,”

Abby said.

“What makes you

so smart

all of a sudden?”

Biff asked her.

“I went

to a meeting today,”

she said.

“It’s a group

for loved ones

of alcoholics.”

“Abby, I am not

an alcoholic,”

said Biff.

“I like to have

a few drinks,

that’s all.

I know

how to handle

my drinking.

I can stop

any time I want.”

“And I learned

something else,”

said Abby.

“I might have

an alcohol problem myself.”

“Don’t want to hear it,”

Biff snapped.

“And don’t make dinner.

I’m not hungry.”

“What’s wrong with you?

You won’t talk to me.

You never do anything

around the house.

You never make dinner.

And these days

you won’t even
eat
dinner.”

“I’ll be late

for driving class,”

said Biff.

“If I don’t go

they won’t let me

drive ever again.

And then I’m going

to the pub,”

he added.

“Why don’t you

meet me there?”

“No,” said Abby.

“I’m not drinking

with you anymore.

In fact,

I’m not drinking

at all anymore.”

Biff gave her

an empty look

and then he left.

Abby sat alone

at the dinner table.

She had

made up her mind.

She was finished

playing the game.

She would never again

do anything

to help Biff’s drinking.

He would have

to do his drinking

without her.

Biff went to work

the next morning.

But he was late.

The boss

called him in again.

“You’re fired, Biff,”

he said.

“Stop at the office

to close things up

on your way out.”

Biff was shocked.

He couldn’t believe

he had been fired.

On the way home

he stopped

at the pub.

He drank

the rest of the day.

At 6:00 p.m.

the bartender

called a cab

for Biff.

“You’ve put in

a full day,”

he said to Biff.

“Where’s dinner?”

Biff asked Abby

when he got home.

“I didn’t make

any dinner,”

she said.

“I ate your dinner

from last night.”

Then she sat down

next to Biff.

“What’s going on?

she asked.

“I got fired today,”

said Biff.

“They say

I have

a drinking problem.

But my real problem

is that job.

I hate it.

Or should I say,

I hated it.”

“What are you

going to do now?”

Abby asked.

Biff began to cry.

He dropped down

to the floor,

on his knees,

his head bent down.

At first,

he couldn’t talk.

Then he said,

“Abby, do you think

I have a drinking problem?”

“Do
you
think

you have

a drinking problem?”

she asked back.

“Yes, Baby,”

said Biff,

in a soft voice

that Abby

could hardly hear.

She said nothing.

“Maybe I could fix

the drinking,”

Biff went on.

“Then I could fix

the other problems.

But I don’t know

about AA.

I don’t know

if I buy

that 12-step thing.”

“Take what you want

and leave the rest,”

said Abby.

Then Biff said,

“I don’t know

if I want

to go to meetings.

AA is for bums.”

“That’s not true,”

said Abby.

“You might be shocked

to see who goes to AA.”

Biff headed

for his first meeting.

On the way,

he almost turned back.

But he kept going

until he got there.

The room

was full.

Biff looked around.

He saw

all kinds of people.

He spotted

a few faces

that he knew.

Back in the corner

was a doctor

he had gone to.

In the front

was a young woman.

She used to hang out

at the pub.

A man stood up.

“Let’s get started,”

he said.

“My name is Freddie

and I’m an alcoholic.”

Everyone got quiet.

Then Freddie

led the group

in a prayer.

Biff wasn’t so sure

he liked that.

But he went along

with the others.

Then a young woman

stood up.

“My name is Sarah

and I’m an alcoholic.”

She told

what had happened

the night before.

She had

almost taken a drink.

She had stopped herself.

“So I’ve been sober

for 30 days!”

she said proudly.

Everyone clapped

as Sarah picked up

her 30-days chip.

She knew

all about using chips

in card games.

The chips

at the AA meeting

had a whole new meaning.

Then Biff stood up.

He heard himself saying,

“I’m Biff

and I’m an alcoholic.”

Then he told his story.

Right out loud.

In front of everyone.

The last thing

he said was,

“I have

a drinking problem.

I want to change.

I don’t want to be

the way I have been.”

“We all know

how you feel,”

a man said.

“Just remember this.

You have no power

over alcohol.

It will hurt you

until it kills you.

You, my friend,

need a new way of life.”

That was all he said.

No one gave Biff

a long speech.

Biff sat down.

He smiled.

He got back up

and grabbed

a cup of coffee.

And then he listened

to other people’s stories.

As soon as Biff

left the meeting,

he wanted a drink.

He headed

straight to the pub.

He stepped

up to the door.

He reached

for the door handle.

And then

he stopped himself.

He turned around

and went home.

“Abby! Abby!”

he called out.

“I did it!”

He lifted her

off the floor.

He started

to swing her around.

“Did what?”

Abby laughed.

“Abby, I went

to a meeting,”

said Biff.

“It was okay.

It really was.

Then I went

to the pub.

But I didn’t go in!

I stopped myself.

Isn’t that great?”

“That’s
really
great,”

said Abby.

“That makes me

very happy.”

“Me, too,”

said Biff.

“But I’m scared.

I don’t know

if I can keep this up.”

“You can,”

said Abby.

“I know you can.”

“Every day

will be a big step,”

said Biff.

Abby and Biff

made dinner together.

They had not done that

for a long, long time.

After dinner

they washed dishes.

“We’re in this together,”

Biff said.

“Washing dishes

or no drinking?”

laughed Abby.

“Both,” said Biff.

“And, Baby,

I’m so glad

you and I

are together.”

“Tell me more,”

said Abby.

“I like you

like this.”

Biff went

to another meeting

the next day.

And the next.

And the next.

In a week

he got his 7-days chip.

“But it’s so hard,”

he told the group.

“I’m out of a job.

I’m afraid

that alcohol

will get me

before I can get

a new job.”

An older man

handed Biff

a little card.

It was the same

as the big sign

on the wall.

“Read this,”

said the man.

“Remember these lines

when you feel down.”

Biff read the card.

He burned every word

into his mind.

Just for today:

I will live

through this day only.

I will not tackle

all my problems at once.

Just for today:

I will be happy.

Just for today:

I will fit myself

to what is,

not to my own wishes.

I will take my luck

as it comes,

and fit myself to it.

Just for today:

I will make

my mind stronger.

I will study.

I will learn something useful.

Just for today:

I will make

my soul better.

I will do somebody

a good turn

and not get found out.

I will do

at least two things

I don’t want to do.

Just for today:

I will be and look

as well as I can.

I will not try

to work on

anybody but myself.

Just for today:

I will have a plan.

I may not follow it

just right,

but I will have it.

Just for today:

I will have

a quiet half hour

all by myself.

Just for today:

I will not be afraid.

Most of all,

I will not be afraid

to enjoy what is beautiful.

As I give

to the world,

so the world

will give to me.

Just for today:

those words

made Biff

feel so much better.

Just reading

those words

was good for his soul.

He tucked the card

in his wallet.

On the way out,

he stopped

the older man.

“Will you be

my sponsor?”

Biff asked him.

“I will,”

said the man.

“My name is Henry.

Here’s my card.

Call me anytime,

night or day.”

“Hey, thanks, man!”

said Biff.

He put the number