July 27

July 27 – AM

Page 31, More About Alcoholism, Chapter 3

Despite all we can say, many who are real alcoholics are not going to believe they are in that class.  By every form of self-deception and experimentation, they will try to prove themselves exceptions to the rule, therefore nonalcoholic.  If anyone who is showing inability to control his drinking can do the right-about-face and drink like a gentleman, our hats are off to him.  Heaven knows, we have tried hard enough and long enough to drink like other people!

Here are some of the methods we have tried:  Drinking beer only, limiting the number of drinks, never drinking alone, never drinking in the morning, drinking only at home, never having it in the house, never drinking during business hours, drinking only at parties, switching from scotch to brandy, drinking only natural wines, agreeing to resign if ever drunk on the job, taking a trip, not taking a trip, swearing off forever (with and without a solemn oath), taking more physical exercise, reading inspirational books, going to health farms and sanitariums, accepting voluntary commitment to asylums—we could increase the list ad infinitum.

July 27 – PM

Page 105-106, To Wives, Chapter 8

We seldom had friends at our homes, never knowing how or when the men of the house would appear.  We could make few social engagements.  We came to live almost alone.  When we were invited out, our husbands sneaked so many drinks that they spoiled the occasion.  If, on the other hand, they took nothing, their self-pity made them killjoys.

There was never financial security.  Positions were always in jeopardy or gone.  An armored car could not have brought the pay envelopes home.  The checking account melted like snow in June. Sometimes there were other women.  How heartbreaking was this discovery; how cruel to be told they understood our men as we did not!