Yes! They
really call themselves that! This meeting (still listed in the AA
Where to Find despite being affiliated with the Primary Purpose movement – an outside organisation) is, however, on the
way out! Since the departure of the local 'guru' Harry K, who has gone on to pastures new (ie. Cocaine Anonymous) - his
exit much encouraged by the locals who had had quite enough of his
brand of 'recovery' - the group has kind of …well ….
disintegrated. But that's what happens when you cut off the head of a
snake. It wriggles around a bit and looks like it might have some
life in it but it's just plain had it! Herne Bay used to be a bog
standard AA meeting. Its members helped newcomers (and themselves) when they could
and otherwise just got on with it. No fanfares .. no fuss …. no
Big Book 'experts', no 'personailty' (?) speakers, no work guides, no
lectures, no 'know-it-all' sponsors …. just plain ordinary AA. But
then the Tankerton/Canterbury Friday (cult) crew decided that Herne
Bay were doing it all WRONG. They just hadn't GOT IT, and so they
decided to stick their oar in - and thus began the process of
disintegration. Then the 'messiah' arrived in the shape of a pair of
carpet slippers - Harry K (together with his side-kick Harry A (otherwise known as Harry the Handbag – don't ask!!)) He was
even more sure that they hadn't GOT IT and proceeded to bring THE
WORD to the benighted heathen! Finally the heathen had had quite
enough of Harry's 'missionary' work and invited him to go forth and multiply! Of course in the good old days we would have
just popped him in a pot and had him for supper … Ah! Happy times! Still
…. mustn't complain. CA's loss is our gain! And maybe Herne Bay
can be resurrected in its original form and return to being just an
ordinary, cult free AA meeting.
Cheerio
The Fellas
(Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
