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Show Ten 6'CBock MhostlBe by David Fleisher "I am a Liquor Control Commission member"... Two interesting meetings were held over the weekend in Salt Lake City. Meeting in a posh private club were members of "Alcoholics Anonymous." Directly across the street, seated around a table in the library of a school, were members of the Utah Liquor Control Commission. Both meetings were being conducted at the same time. I was forced with having to decide which meeting to attend and voted in favor of the Liquor Commission, thinking it might be more informative. Since this meeting was strictly confidential, I informed the Commission members that although I would report on the meeting as objectively and as honestly as I could, I would not mention any names. The meeting began at approximately 7:00pm. Members of the Commission were dressed in suits, some wore vests which were color-coordinated with their shoes. They were, all, seated on the edge of their seats holding notebooks preparing to take close notes of what was about to be said. Suddenly, a man in his early 40s jumped up from where he was sittingcrushed to the front of the room, began crying, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "I am a Liquor Control Commission member!" Dead silence. The rest of the people jotted down in their notebooks, "I am a Liquor Control Commission member." Absolutely nothing else was said at this point. Then, everyone looked up and stared at the individual standing before them, who was still sobbing. And he continued his confession: "I don't like people who drink They make me sick. They are immoral, and they make no effort whatsoever to better their lives. I went to a party last night and the host spiked my orange juice with vodka, I wanted to take the person's name down and report her to the Commission, but refrained from doing so considering I was an invited guest. I thought it would be rude of me to turn her in for questioning." The other Commission members gave disapproving glances at each other, and I overheard one say, "I know what he's going through." "I don't know why I decided to join the Commission," the man in front continued. "I'm no good. I don't have what it takes to be a good Commission member. I'm too weak. But this is the worst part.. J feel guilty every time I close down a private club!" W-. ' The rest of the members yelled in unison, "shame on you ! " Then, the leader of the group responded softly, Please, don't interrupt. Virgil still has the floor. Let him talk." Virgil (ficticious name) faced the window, hung his head, and said in a very low voice, "I don't think the liquor laws in this State are fair. They make people who want to have a drink feel uncomfortable and even guilty. The laws should be changed in order to allow more freedom to our citizens." One man seated at the table leaped out of his chair, pointed his finger at his fellow Commission member and shouted. "You're being defensive! Cop out! Cop out!" The leader rose from the table, went over the Virgil and put his arm around him. "Please," he said, "let's give Virgil a chance. This is riot an easy thing to do. Remember, we are only trying to help ourselves." Virgil and the leader sat down, and then another Commission member went to the front of the room. "I am a Liquor Control Commission member," he said. Again, everyone wrote quickly in their notebooks, "I am a Liquor Control Commission member." "1 joined the Commission because I know I have a problem. " the man in front continued. "I don't know how to have fun. I don't have a. sense of humor. People who drink make me sick. I take out my frustrations on people who drink. . 1 don't like my house. 1 don't like my wife. I don't like my parents. It's ail their fault! It's all my parents' fault!" ; The man scurried back to his chair and nervously adjusted his tie.JNo one said a word. Suddenly; an attractive middle-aged woman threw open the front door of the library, ran to the Commissioners' table and cried, "I am an 'alcoholic." The group leader responded softly ."Your meeting is across the street." The woman shot out of the library and ran across the street. Three hours later, the Commissioners' meeting ended after everyone had an opportunity to air their problems. I heard one member say as he was leaving, "I feel much better now." As I walk up Main'Street, I hear the Ten O'clock Whistle. |