I came into AA in Roosevelt, at the WE CARE AA Group on Long Island, New York–my first Home Group. Those Old Timers would always say almost at every meeting, “There are no rules or regulations in AA. But you better get a Home Group. You better get a Sponsor and you better do service.” This is our topic for our Singapore Newsletter this month. There are no coincidences.

The majority of brothers who attended the AA meetings were so young. They looked to me like kids in Grade School rather than inmates in a Correctional Facility. They were so eager to help us, The AA Crew set up the chairs for our AA meetings in the Pod’s Library glass encased area. Even in Jail, the program is for those who want it, not those who need it. So our attendance was small, maybe 5 or 6 bodies, but still it only takes 2 to have a meeting.

This is how I do my AA service throughout the years – working with newcomers. I was told in my early Sobriety, “always shake the hand of a newcomer, because one day she or he might be your Sponsor. There are no guarantees. AA is a 24 hour program, one day at a time. Sometimes one minute or one second. But you don’t drink and go to meetings even if your ass falls off. You put your ass into a plastic bag, drag it to a meeting, and learn to sit another way.

One afternoon this young inmate said, “Mr. Tony, can I tell you something?” I replied, “Little Brother, you can tell me anything. What you got to tell me?” He said, “Do you know what Denial is?” I played dumb and said “No! You tell me what Denial is”! That kid said “DENIAL means, Don’t Even No I am Lying “.

In New York AA Groups, the Secretary would say, “Are there any new comers here today? When they raised their hand, said their name and gave their day count, the Secretary would say “welcome, keep coming back”, and assure them they were the most important people in the rooms today. Then the Secretary would say “Let us love you until you learn to love yourself. To keep it, we must give it away. I have a sponsor list with their phone numbers. If you want to contact someone from our sponsor or temporary sponsor list, come see me at the end of the meeting for a copy.”

That floored me. I told him I was going to talk about what he’d said at my next AA Meeting. That his slogan was wonderful and I thanked him for sharing it with me. He had a huge grin on his face going towards his chair as I started up the meeting.

This is the reward, to me, for doing service. There is always unconditional love and Fellowship in any AA Meeting wherever it is located be it Jail, a Church Basement, a Meeting Hall, Yale, a park bench or Park Avenue. It is not how much I drank or what I drank, it was the first drink that got me drunk.

Another form of Service was H&I, (Hospital or Institutions), carrying the AA Meetings to Jails, which I loved. My weekly commitment was at San Bruno Prison Complex, San Bruno, California. This Pod looked exactly like OZ, the TV Series. It was all glass, 2 tiers with a half moon Command Control Center to the rear wall where the Police Officers monitor everything via closed circuit TV’s. Opening and closing cell doors. CLANK. Total Lockdown in a matter of seconds via ceiling

Our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help another alcoholic achieve Sobriety. We carry this message to the alcoholic who still suffers.

Doing service has kept me sober for many many years. To keep it, I must give it away. And for that, I am grateful.

TonyT/SFO, CA – last drink, April 4th, 1979.