Respect at AA meeting (from Bubba's journal)

A young lady is addressing a group of about twenty other drug abusers at an AA meeting. The overwhelming majority, if not all of the listeners are there because they have been ordered there by their parole officers, but the vast majority of those show the speakers who volunteer to come there and speak proper respect. They listen to them. They give them (what appears to be) their sincere attention.

However, this incident involves one of those disrespectful ones. Suddenly, he is carrying on a low-toned conversation (which he has imposed) with one of the other listeners among the small group located at the base of a stairway. He is complaining about having to have to come there and listen to these "sob stories." He is disturbing the thought processes of the ones who are in earshot. But no one shows it.

Just as suddenly, he makes a sharp statement slightly louder than his previous complaint rudely expanding his disrespectful presence past the one listener with whom he began his conversation in a rather challenging, belligerent manner. Seemingly prepared to deal with any and all possible response, except the one that he received. No responses at all. No one paid him any attention.

He wanted some attention, any kind of attention. He wanted to be recognized. He wanted an audience. Not the whole group. Heaven forbid. No, he only wanted the attention of those few at the base of the stairs.

When he got no response, in quick order, he began to listen to the young lady, like the rest of us.