OCT 10, 19 .. A VERY SERIOUS MEETING

For What It’s Worth, today was a busy day for yours truly. My day was dominated by the fact that I had been invited to give a 2 hour talk at a local Narcology Clinic. This meant that I had to be ready at 2:15pm when I was to be picked up and taken to the clinic. Because this visit had been on my schedule for over a week, I’d been ‘idly’ thinking about it.

My ‘idle’ thoughts ran along the lines of : What am I going to say?

At this point in my life, I wait until I get to a meeting and then size-it-up, read the vibrations of the attendees, and begin my talk with absolutely no idea whatsoever as to what I’m going to say and the order in which I going to say what I don’t know what I’m going to say.

One of my all-time heros on the ‘talking circuit’ was Bob Earll. Bobby (short for Bob E) would stand at the speaker’s podium, look quietly out at his audience and begin with: “I wonder what is going to come out today?”

I used to think he was kidding. Now I KNOW  he was not kidding.

All I know for sure is this : Two hours will pass and I will have talked and answered questions for the full two hours.

Come hell-or-high-water there will be a 15-minute break one hour into the meeting. This mid-meeting break gives those in desperate need for a cigarette a chance to provide them relief from their nicotine craving and are a blessing for me since I myself will probably have a desperate need to go to the necessary-room. Often I will telephone Patti for a short visit.

I’d been told in advance that, because since the meeting was going to be held at the Narcology Clinic, this was going to be an important meeting and that there would be doctors and other highly qualified medical therapists in attendance.

The last time I was told this, below ( Holy Schmoley! ) is a photo of what awaited me:

Talk about just a little White-Coat anxiety, when I saw the above group of medical doctors and University students, I felt some White-Coat anxiety myself.

Today, below is what awaited me:

The Narcology Clinic. Notice the Traditional Mongolian Ger in the first three photos below.

When we pulled up to the Narcology Clinic, I instantly recognized the building and that I’d given a talk here about three years ago. That helped me out immensely.

“I’ve been here and I’ve done this!”

What do you say to a group of stoic, non-smiling, deadly serious Asian Mongolians who’s very lives may depend upon what you are going to say?

When I was ‘on’, I sat quietly for a few moments looking into their eyes and began with emphasis! :

“I am going to tell you what the MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I CAN SAY TO YOU IS.. ..”

“YOU MUST want to stop drinking alcohol for yourself. YOU cannot stop successfully drinking if you are doing it to please any other person! YOU HAVE GOT TO WANT TO STOP FOR YOURSELF.”

Below is what I expected, and what awaited me. A very small room. A very laid-back atmosphere. I sat up front at the below chair (see my jacket with it’s safety-arm-band).

Looking at the medical-figurine (above and below) in the background you could tell we were in a hospital setting.

It really and it truly was a very small and laid-back venue. The fact is, judging from the above desktop computer, it looked to me like we were in someone’s office!

As they were dashing out of the room (see the sanitary booties on their shoes) for a cigarette break and to get-some-air, I got two more photos of the room.

Yes Oh Yes. I did meet the Medical Director of the Clinic along with members of his team. Fine professional people. They were packed-in, practically sitting on one-another’s laps. As is usual, after the cigarette / get-some-air / necessary-room break, I lost 60% of those who were present the first hour. Hospital patients simply do not have the interest nor the physical stamina to sit for two hours. However, from those who remained present after the break, I received some excellent / probing questions.

Back home to my brand-spanking-new parking lot. It sure looked good-to-me!

Trust me when I say : Lives are at stake here. When I leave a meeting such as this, when I leave any meeting for that matter, I always hope to feel I have given in the room all that I can possibly give of myself.

Read : I went to bed very early this evening.

Grateful to Pass It On to those few who really want it.

Cap  

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