Well ..... what can we say? The complaints about this particular dynamic duo continue to flood in! For those of you who aren't in the know these two self-appointed experts on the Big Book (and on little else apparently!) have been attempting to carry the message to the ignorant heathen of East Kent (otherwise known as AA members) for some time now (whether the latter want it or not). Harry A (aka Harry the Handbag) haunts the the Aylesham Wednesday meeting in Kent whereas Harry K (easily identifiable by the leather bound and name inscribed copy of the Big Book he carries around with him constantly - much like a baby pacifier) likes to spread himself around a bit more. This tag team can also be observed performing their double act at Dover Monday, Herne Bay Wednesday (both groups affiliated with an outside organisation ie. Primary Purpose – see Tradition 3) and Westgate Sunday. This odd duet is strangely effective, the reasons for which have eluded us for some time now. It certainly isn't because of the “message” they purport to carry. Anyone with even a superficial knowledge of the tome in question can easily discern that neither have a clue about its contents. Indeed the book itself hardly enters the equation. It rather serves as a platform upon which they can quite perversely promote their own inadequacies. We might have used the term “personalities” here but in both cases this again is peculiarly lacking. With Harry the Handbag the main impact he produces in the psyche of any hapless listener who wanders into his path is a kind of stunned nausea. He can drone on at length in a peculiarly hypnotic fashion rendering the victim incapable of either fight or flight, doomed to endure the experience to its bitter end, and quite helplessly paralysed by Harry's remorseless lecturing. On the other hand the Caped Crusader (Harry K) has an entirely different effect. Here his quite breathtaking arrogance is of such a degree that the observer is again paralysed but this time for another reason entirely. Indeed the listener is held in the grip of a kind of horrified fascination verging on disbelief, mesmerised by the prospect that anyone could possibly mistake their own profound stupidity for some form of knowledge. So assured is Harry K of his own masterful insight that the audience is quite captivated by the sight of such self-delusion in operation! Together the pair are quite insuperable and would no doubt by now have converted the entire world to their way of thinking (let alone AA!) if left unchecked! However nature as always comes to our rescue, and the effects of any contact with these two rapidly wear off once the victim is removed from their direct vicinity. Thereafter their stultifying influence is mitigated, sanity rapidly restored, memories of the ordeal fade, and full recovery is again assured. However, and as increasing numbers of AA members develop an immunity to their particular brand of fanaticism, the pair are becoming more and more desperate, their message correspondingly strident and extreme. Indeed no less a personage than Dr Bob (co-founder of AA) has recently been pronounced as “off the programme” by Harry K. Apparently the poor old doc was insufficiently attentive to the Big Book and therefore his recovery deficient (according to our 'expert'). Now we don't suppose Bob is going to be too worried about this (what with him having been dead for some time now) but he did manage to scratch together a few years sober before his passing, and he did help a few alcoholics along the way. Moreover he didn't feel compelled to shove his 'lack' of personality down anybody's throat, and there's still a few of us around who are rather glad he got together with Bill back in the day. So if we had to choose between Dr Bob's example and either/or both of the Harrys then it really is no contest. Bob's any time!
Cheerio
The
Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
PS
There's been some debate in East Kent about what to do with this
obnoxious pair. The answer is simple – and really rather obvious!
Treat them like the 'drunks' they are! Standard procedure is:
- Ask them to behave themselves - that they cease to disrupt the meeting (see anti-bullying guidelines)
- If they fail to do so invite them to leave – although making it clear they will be welcomed back any time they are able to conduct themselves appropriately
- If again they fail to grasp the basics of civilised conduct call the police in and have them removed
End
of problem
