Long story. Bench Warrant. Stupid dogs and their tickets (that were lost on my desk and I missed my court date) anyhow!
Funny thing is- and I'm only a "G" so I only sat through about six or eoght cases before my own came up (after lunch)- but pretty much everyone there was dealing with the reprecussions of drugs and alcohol. Oh there were a couple people who had gotten moving violations and forgot to deal with them and so got a bench warrant, not too unlike my puppy tickets- but for the most part it was alcohol related stuff.
I really felt for this one guy. Young and good looking, in the prime of life. Arrested and convicted on alcohol related offenses and when the judge asked him if he was an alcoholic he answered "no". Then when the judge asked him how much he drinks in a night he answers, "About a six pack." (in my personal experience I know that I would have cut whatever the actual figure was about in half. I'd have to guess that's pretty typical- he was a pretty big guy and I'd imagine he'd be able to drink about a twelve pack or more. But who knows?) Then the judge asked him if he always drank beer and the guy admits that sometimes he does about ten or twelve shots of vodka. So the judge pushes his glasses up with a finger and asks, "To you what constitutes being an alcoholic?" The guy answers, "Well- I don't drink every day and I don't drink all day- alcoholics drink all the time."
I wanted to raise my hand and share but I assume the judge would not have appreciated any cross talk.
A couple drug people there- one guy who looked like the average guy who said he was hooked on heroin and so not making rational decisions- but for the most part it was good old alcohol, the accepted and legal regular old mundane beverage. How strange to see all those people in such deep trouble (albiet to varying degrees) over booze. I've been to a kazillion meetings but seeing everyone having to pay the piper in that way really hit home for me.
I am a very lucky alcoholic. Charmed life. I appreciate it to no end. I'm going back to bed. Thanks for listening. G'nite!
Yeah- the judge was a pretty easygoing guy though. That guy had had six convictions in the last year and the judge gave him thirty days, for malicious littering (whatever that is- breaking bottles I guess) and let him serve his twelve days for drunk in public concurrently- and he told the guy "I hope you think about your alcohol issues and go to a group or therapy and get your life going in the right direction." I was very surprised he wasn't required to attend group in jail, so I'm assuming that isn't available here.
I do know we have a couple group homes that are very popular- one where they work on a small farm and attend group meetings and therapy- but I also know that there is always a waiting list for those things.
I'm going to have to ask some people just what is available around here beyond that. I actually only know of the two homes and a private practice that the courts send people to which is outpatient only.
Here whoever signs the memos takes the papers at the beginning of the meeting and signs them at the end and gives them back.
No- I was referring to the guys stuck in jail. I know a couple aa's who got into the program on the mainland because they had to attend meetings in jail. But I think that was prison- not county.
