It was busy enough at work that I was back and forth behind the registers as much as I was trying to be everywhere else at the same time. "What the hell is this?" I asked, after tripping over a bundle underfoot for the third time.
"Oh, somebody left it here last night. I think someone called about it so we were keeping it up here instead of putting it in the office."
I looked inside the bag. After more than 20 years sober I can recognize the blue of a 12&12 and a Big Book in a personalized leather book cover from about one square centimeter of exposure and in less than a second.
"Someone called about this? This bag, I mean?"
"Huh? Yeah, I think so."
It was marginally in the way, but I left it up front.
The next morning I was at work well before everyone else. I pulled the bag out to see if I could find a phone number or recognize a name.
There was a Big Book, in its leather book cover, a 12&12 and a journal.
I was honestly not trying to read what was written in the journal, but in opening it up to look for a name on the inside cover I couldn't help -- well, maybe I could have, but I didn't -- scanning the first page. I flipped through a few more before I decided that there was both nothing there to tell me who it all belonged to and I was definitely drifting over the line into reading it rather than trying to find its owner.
From what little I glanced at I got the sense this was a person who had struggled to stay sober -- and it was not their first attempt.
The Big Book and the 12&12 had notes in them, some passages highlighted, but nothing to give me a name or number to call.
I put the bag back up front, wondering a little at the too-cute-coincidence of me and a forgotten bag full of 12 Step literature at my job.
It's been there for going on a week now. It's gotten so that I look for it when I go in, to see if someone's come to claim it.
It makes me both sad and hopeful at the same time.
Still, it's just a little ridiculous too, isn't it?
.
No, not at all. It's called compassion and hope. Please let us know if this person shows up...
Posted by: Luna | January 25, 2012 at 05:26 AM
I think it was left for you. Nothing happens in God's world by mistake.
Posted by: Jeri Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ | January 25, 2012 at 05:51 AM
Im sending prayers that he/she comes back. What a marvelous place to accidentally leave your books. If he/she comes back, they will find a friend.
Posted by: Julie | January 25, 2012 at 06:34 AM
Well isn't that a coincidence.......hummmm.
Posted by: Gay-in-AA | January 25, 2012 at 06:52 AM