Sales Job

I was traveling in Houston,TX for an event that I had helped plan. I was there with my work in sales and was planning on working with the store and customers all weekend. I had traveled before sober, but had a particularly hard time with my travel this time. My spiritual fitness wasnt great.

I fly enough to get routinely upgraded to first class which is full of free flowing booze (and NO dinner) and this was a white knuckle flight for me. I got into town late and checked into my room. I hadnt eaten and needed to get dinner. In the treatment center speak I was in the "Hungry" and "Tired" part of the HALT memory device that tells you to be very cautious of your disease. I was there and it was working on me.

I go to a resturant to eat dinner and the waitress brings over a jug of wine and a crayon. She puts down a water glass (my kind of place) and tells me I am on the "honor" system and with said crayon I am to write down how many drinks I have. I loved this system when I drank. I NEVER had an empty glass because I didnt want you to know how much I drank so I would keep filling my half-drank glass. This was kind of a big glup water glass so it had potential.

I left, cursing my weakness and thinking myself pretty lame after all didnt I have some time in. I did but I was crazy and all that looked pretty good to me despite my knowledge of where drinking had taken me, what it taken from me. I got into the hotel and ordered dinner. I called and bitched to my sponsor as well and went to bed pretty pissed.

The next morning wasnt much better. I woke and prayed as I try to do, but my prayer went something like " ok, ok I am here. I am doing what I am supposed to do. Its a drag. Will you just make it better???!!!!???" It wasnt all that moving. I go down to breakfast. I decide to take my bags to the car first and head to the parking lot.

I put my bags in my rental car and a beat up truck pulled up behind me and a woman who could have been my twin gets out of the cab. I see three pretty nasty men in the truck with her. She is strung out and is scanning me and reading me. I am about to get hustled.

She begins the pitch asking me if I know of a place to stay in town (remember we are in a hotel parking lot). I say I don't and she goes on to tell a tale of a broken down car, a niece in trouble, some issue with the law, but I am not listening I am looking at her. I cannot get over how much she looks like me. She is reading me too, as she sees that I am not responding to much she ups the tragedy in the story-someone is sick and needs her. She is reading me well, she can tell I am not buying it. She watches my eyes, my body asks me questions to engage me. She is a salesperson. The pitch grows and here it comes....she needs $20 and she will pay me back if I tell her where I will be later today.

I didn't mean to but I chuckled. I gave her the $20 and told her she didn't have to live this way. Her face fell as it dawns on her that she may have been able to get more. We both had sales jobs that morning. I am so grateful that mine was to feed and house my children. She was feeding and housing her addiction.

I am so thankful that I have an opportunity to use my talents for the betterment of those I love and my fellows. I was joyous the rest of my trip for the work I had to do and for where I was. It was the answer to my prayer.