DEC 30, 16 .. THINK THE DRINK .. PLAY THE TAPE ALL THE WAY THROUGH ..

Back in the late autumn of 2014, at the St. Joseph's Church morning meeting in Hong Kong where I was living at the time, I heard a saying that has become one of my most important Spiritual Tools:

Play the tape all the way through.

To that I added another powerful spiritual tool.

Think the drink.

Rhetorical Question : Do you really think, do you really believe, that long timers are NEVER tempted to pick up a drink ?

And yet another amazing spiritual tool:

Be-On-Guard for the unguarded moment.

We have several life phases. Two of them are : The Physical and The Spiritual.

In life's Physical Phase, we are NOT equal. 

I would have a difficult time dog trotting 100 yards, let alone run 100 yards in ten seconds. At my age (I am now in my 80's) I can no longer even dream about doing physical activities that I routinely did as a young, enlisted member of the United States Marine Corps. In fact it has become difficult to open various jars of food and to remove the bottle caps from beverage bottles.

However, in life's Spiritual Phase, we can, to some great degree, achieve equality.

Here is where I am going with this : IF I was able to do what I actually achieved in the below story, YOU TOO can also do it!

Now please read on my friends.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

I experienced a very violent fall in the Dubai airport in the United Arab Emirates on November the 25th, 2016, as I was waiting to board a seven (7) hour flight from Dubai to Hong Kong. After falling, I was examined on-the-spot by three paramedics who placed me on a gurney. After they took my vitals and did a thorough hands-on examination of me, the paramedics told me that I needed to be taken immediately to a local Dubai Hospital. 

I called my wife and I explained what had happened. Although I was in great pain, after talking with my wife about my mental competency (the paramedics agreed that I was of sound mind) I was given three pages of legal medical release hold-harmless forms, I was allowed to (with much assistance) board my seven hour flight to Hong Kong.

At the time, I had my own flat in Hong Kong and I had friends who met me at the airport and took amazing care of me the next three days. No! I did not go through this alone.

In the photos below, I sure look happy don't I? 

I WAS happy because of the caring of my friends!

I flew to Hong Kong where, the next day, November the 26th, 2016, with the help of my friends, I had my personal doctor, at the Saint Teresa Medical Center, examine me complete with a x-rays. My Hong Kong doctor confirmed that my left hip was broken. He wanted to operate on me the next morning.

Because of many reasons (the cost of health care with no medical insurance, the lengthy post operative recovery period, etc) I opted to fly, broken hip, in considerable pain, to the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.

On Monday morning, the 28th of November 2016, with the help of my friends, I boarded a 12-hour flight from Hong Kong to Seattle, Washington. I had a 3 hour layover in Seattle. Then a 3 hour flight to Phoenix, Arizona, on Monday morning, the 28th of November.

Play the tape all the way through before you drink the drink.

Thanks to another friend with five (5) million airline miles, I was flying Delta Airlines Business Class. You all know what that means. I could lay down and sleep. I had all-the-trimmings of first class flying.

As I looked over the dinner menu, the below words leapt out at me.

Please keep in mind that I had been in considerable pain for three days at this point. 

I studied the above words. I rolled them around in my mind.

"Lord God in Heaven above! A highball sounds great! I am looking at a 12-hour flight. My broken hip is killing me. I am into my third day since my fall. I am exhausted.  Just one little drink would sure take-the-edge off."

"I NEED a drink before I lose my mind with this pain!"

Play the tape all the way through .. Before you drink the drink! Think the drink Before you drink the drink!

My mind continued with : "Who would ever know? Besides! What's wrong with just one drink?"

Play the tape all the way through .. before you drink the drink. Think the drink before you drink the drink!

Instantly I knew that I certainly would not have just one drink.

I knew one of two things would happen IF I took the first drink.

1. I would get some relief from the nagging pain and would want another drink to get more relief.

2. I would not get any relief so I would want another drink in an attempt to take-the-edge-off the pain.

So I would begin with two drinks.

Play the tape all the way through. Think the drink. The man takes a drink. The drink takes a drink. The drink takes the man! Two drinks and it could be 'Katie bar the door time'!'

Then would come the third drink. To get more relief or to get some relief.

"I wonder if the flight attendant would bring me a fourth drink?"

Play the tape all the way through. Think the drink. 

"The very full figured lady across the aisle from me is obviously into eating. I can avoid asking the flight attendant for a fourth drink. I could trade the lady across the aisle my dessert in return for her getting me a fourth drink. Then she would probably get me a fifth one." 
 
I could not put any weight on my left leg! It took an Act Of God for me to get to the toilet and I was completely sober. How would I manage to get to the toilet in my exhausted condition blitzed-out-of-my-mind after five drinks! The flight crew would know I was drunk. That would be very bad indeed."

I will be arriving into Seattle from Hong Kong so I must pass through International Immigration and Customs. If I am blitzed and probably blacked-out how would I ever make my connection for my flight to Phoenix and the Mayo Clinic? I would miss my connection with my wife who would be distressed out of her mind wondering where I was!

This is why we all continue to keep going to meetings and continue to work the program.

I did NOT take the first drink !! 

I got to Phoenix safely. My wife was waiting for me. I had successful hip replacement surgery the following Thursday, December the 1st, 2016.

What an experience this was!

So in crisis, play the tape all the way through before you drink the drink. 

Think the drink before you drink the drink.

It is a Spiritual Truth that, IF I could do what I actually did, in real pain and discomfort for three days, you reading along here with me have a crisis such as I experienced, you too can remain sober!

Thank You! I am truly honored that you took the time, and had the patience, to read my story!

NOV 18, 16 .. BACK TO BASICS IN DUBAI, UAE

"This one Nikki?"

To 'coin a term' often heard in 'Watering Holes' ..

"This one's for you Nikki!" 

"This one's for you and for your most amazing passion for sobriety. Keep up your good work."

Wally P wrote a no-nonsense book titled, 'Back To Basics'. 

I met Wally out in Pontiac Michigan at a seminar back in the autumn of 2014.

In the Detroit area, I know for certain that there are Back To Basics proponents and 4-week seminars, especially in Southfield.

Participating in a 'Back To Basics' format seminar took me to Ulaanbaatar Mongolia in July of 2015 in a life changing event.

When I went to this meeting here in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, I was amazed, absolutely, positively, amazed.

The meeting is held on the 5th floor in Block C of the Al Hudaiba Awards Buildings.

It is in the Jumeirah 1 District of Dubai, off Jumeirah Road at the intersection with the (Don't ask me about the name of the street. Figuratively speaking, I only work here!) 2nd of December Street in the Al Hudaiba community. It is near the Ramada Jumeirah.

To get to the above venue? Hire a taxi!

Oh! You want a map?

Below is a link to maps that show you where the meeting is located.

http://babakaps.net/?p=22612

The meeting was so nicely set up.

Books to borrow. Books for sale. 

A full 'Power Point' production. I could not believe it.

Oh Mai Miss Dubai. Water is 'On The House' so drink up! (WATER)

Look for that very familiar sign!

The building is one very special building.

All I saw in my limited time in the building were sights like these. 

Commitment! To feel good? DO good!

Lord God? What have I done to be so richly blessed.

NOV 8, 16 .. A.A. IN DUBAI - CNN BUILDING

When I looked over the A.A. Meeting List for Dubai, one group of meetings just jumped out at me.

The work week here begins on Sunday and goes through Thursday. 

The weekend runs from Friday through Saturday.

On the meeting list for Dubai, I noticed a series of five morning meetings at the CNN Building. The 45-minute meetings begin at 7:45AM and adjourn promptly at 8:30AM.

Now you have all of the good news, the great news.

Here is my issue. 

In order to get to the CNN Building meetings I have to be out of my hotel room NLT 6:30AM. I need to walk to a bus and get to the Union Metro Station. There I catch the metro for a 33-minute ride to my stop. Off the metro I have another walk to the CNN Building.

All of this is NO BIG DEAL!

Have any of you heard the acronym HALT. 

H in HALT stands for Hungry.

If I go running out of my hotel room at 6:30AM, without eating something healthy, I will find myself in trouble.

The issue: Leaving my hotel at 6:30AM, I miss the breakfast buffet here at my hotel.

 I am paying for breakfast.

It varies from day to day, but below are items commonly in the above chafing dishes. 

I take hard boiled eggs along with olives and cheese back to the refrigerator in my room for an afternoon snack.

Very few people 'in the rooms' are talking about healthy eating!

I miss breakfast and I have no afternoon snack.

Nice touch the 'rose flower' made from a tomato.

Some 'Shrooms' for you mushroom lovers.

Nice condiments. They also vary from day to day.

Further down you will see how I love my DARK TOAST.

Wonderful Juice Bar.

My DARK TOAST.

Off to catch a bus that will take me to the Union Metro Station.

Air conditioned bus stop waiting kiosks.

I am at 'my' Union Metro Station. All of my trips on the metro begin and end at the Union Metro station.

We are on the platform.

33-Minutes later I am at Nakheel Station where I get off the metro.

Now we walk out of the Nakheel Metro station.

I get to gaze upon these beautiful buildings as I walk to the CNN Building meeting!

The CNN Building. Our destination.

Dubai is certainly one most beautiful city.

Let's all be like a camel and learn to stay dry.

The CNN Morning Meetings in Dubai are as good as meetings can get. Each day a different format. 45-minutes in duration and the 18 to 22 members each have an opportunity to share. Business people. Sharp. Crisp. 

Lord God you have so blessed me to be able to carry a message of recovery. 

I have never been more warmly received than I am being received here by The Fellowship in Dubai.

In Sobriety!

EPILOGUE: I do NOT just find a meeting such as this meeting at the CNN Building. I met a long time member at the Caribou Coffee Shop. I asked him specifically just how to get to this meeting. He told me he would pick me up in his car at the Noor Bank Metro Station and take me to the CNN Building. Once there, after the meeting, he walked me back to the Nakheel Metro Station so I would know how to get back to the CNN Building independently on my own. 

TOM MY MAN I SALUTE YOU FOR YOUR LIFE! I SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING ME BY THE HAND AND SHOWING ME SO MANY OTHER MEETINGS.

As Tom takes his leave of Dubai, Nikki and Alfred and Victor have stepped up to assist me in getting to meetings that I have not yet visited.

Oh My Mai Dubai.