Alcoholics Anonymous, Fourth Edition

CHAPTER 3 - MORE ABOUT ALCOHOLISM

a government bureau. I had been out of town before
during this particular dry spell, so there was nothing
new about that. Physically, I felt fine. Neither did I
have any pressing problems or worries. My business
came off well, I was pleased and knew my partners
would be too. It was the end of a perfect day, not a
cloud on the horizon.

"I went to my hotel and leisurely dressed for dinner.
As I crossed the threshold of the dining room, the
thought came to mind that it would be nice to have a
couple of cocktails with dinner. That was all. Nothing
more. I ordered a cocktail and my meal. Then I or-
dered another cocktail. After dinner I decided to take
a walk. When I returned to the hotel it struck me a
highball would be fine before going to bed, so I
stepped into the bar and had one. I remember having
several more that night and plenty next morning. I
have a shadowy recollection of being in an airplane
bound for New York, and of finding a friendly taxicab
driver at the landing field instead of my wife. The
driver escorted me about for several days. I know little
of where I went or what I said and did. Then came
the hospital with unbearable mental and physical
suffering.

"As soon as I regained my ability to think, I went
carefully over that evening in Washington. Not only
had I been off guard, I had made no fight whatever
against the first drink. This time I had not thought of
the consequences at all. I had commenced to drink as
carelessly as though the cocktails were ginger ale. I
now remembered what my alcoholic friends had told
me, how they prophesied that if I had an alcoholic
mind, the time and place would come—I would drink