A  newcomer  asked  his  sponsor  about  the  difference  between  a  non-­‐alcoholic,  a  potential-­‐alcoholic and  the  hopeless-­‐alcoholic,  explaining  that  he  was  confused  by  this  terminology  in  the  Big  Book.  So the  sponsor  took  the  new  comer  to  the  raunchiest  bar  in  town.  Upon  arriving,  they  stopped  out back  and  sifted  through  the  dumpster  for  flies.  This  seemed  strange  to  the  sponsee  ,  but  he  did  not question  the  old-­‐timer.    When  they  had  collected  enough  dead  fliest  they  entered  the  bar.  Soon  a fight   broke   out   and   everyone   in   the   bar   rushed   over   to   watch   it,   except   for   the   two   AA’s.     The sponsor  began  dropping  flies  into  the  beers  at  the  bar.  When  the  fight  broke  up  every  one  returned to  their  seats.  One  mane  picked  up  his  beer,  noticed  the  fly,  and  prompltey  asked  the  bartender  for another  draft.  “That”  said  the  sponsor  “is  what  we  call  a  non-­‐alcoholic.”.  A  second  man  sat  down, noticed   the   fly   in   his   drink,   tossed   it   aside   and   drank   his   beer   anyway.   “That’s   what   we   call   a potential-­‐alcoholic”,  said  the  sponsor.    The  newcomer  then  said  :”If  that’s  only  a  potential-­‐alcoholic, then  what  the  hell  is  a  hopeless-­‐alcoholic?”  Before  he  could  finish  a  third  man  sat  down  at  the  bar, picked  the  fly  out  of  his  beer,  held  it  up  to  his  face,  and  yelled  “SPIT  IT  OUT  YOU  SON  OF  A  BITCH!!! SPIT  IT  OUT!!!”

“Honestly  honey.  It  looked  like  an  AA  meeting.  There  were  drunks  everywhere.”—Roberto  Z.  Antioch,  Calif.

“You  know  that  wearing  a  smoking  jacket  does  not  make  you  a  classy  drunk!”