[ WP ] A man begins his first AA meeting only to discover each sharing moment is more like a game of `` never have I ever . ''

The cold metal door swung shut behind Martin. 
 
 None of the people in the room seemed to take notice of his entering. 
 
 Shuffling past the snack table he stopped only to pick up a plastic cup of water. The walk here had been the most exercise he had had in months, and he felt it. 
 
 The room had a faint smell of drains to it. 
 
 He slid quietly into the back row of chairs, which was occupied only by a large hairy man with a two hundred day badge pinned proudly on his grubby coat collar. The man ’ s head hung almost in his lap and martin could swear he was letting out faint snores. 
 
 At the front of the room a tall thin woman was standing on the stage. She was nearing the end of her introductory talk, all of which Martin had missed, and she said, “ I see we have some newcomers today. Well, if everybody ’ s ready. Who would like to start us off? ” 
 
 A short man on the third row stood up. He was wearing a brown leather jacket, which was entirely too big for him. He clumsily pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “ Hi, my names Sam. ” The man started. 
 
 “ Hi Sam. ” The room muttered in unison. The man on Martins row let out an indiscernible grumble of words. Martin smiled in amusement, he had never been sure if the actually introduced themselves like that at meetings. At least now if the meeting proves unsuccessful, he thought, at least that was something he now knew. 
 
 “ I have never abandoned my children. ” The short man continued. A few people around the room shuffled. The man in Martin ’ s aisle raised a cup he had been holding up to his mouth and took a sip. 
 
 On the stage, the woman clasped her hands together. “ Thank you for sharing, Sam. ” She beamed at him. “ Now, who ’ s next? ” 
 
 Someone in black hoodie almost directly in front of Martin stood up. Their hood was up so Martin couldn ’ t make out much about their appearance. “ Hi, I ’ m Jess, ” the female voice rang out. 
 
 “ Hi Jess. ” 
 
 “ I have ne… ” She was cut off by the woman at the front. 
 
 “ Hood down please dearie. Atta girl ” 
 
 She slowly brought down her hood revealing glorious dark brown hair. She glanced around the room and Martin caught a glimpse of her beautiful face, a small tattoo peeking out from the side of her neck. “ I have never, ” she continued, clearly aggravated by the rude interruption, “ stolen from my family to fund my drinking. ” 
 
 Again, shuffles around the room. 
 
 Again, Martin noticed the man take a sip. 
 
 Martin decided it was his turn to share. He waited for the woman to thank Jess and ask who was next, and he stood up. 
 
 “ Hi, I ’ m Martin. ” He felt so many eyes on him, but almost an equal number were staring down at the ground. 
 
 “ Hi Martin. ” The room rang out. 
 
 “ Boy, ” he said, “ That ’ s the first time in weeks I ’ ve heard someone say my name. It feels weird, ” The eyes looked at him expectantly. “ Oh, okay sorry. Get on with it, I know. I tend to mutter when I ’ m nervous. Anyway, drinking has ruined my life, I ’ ve lost fr… ” 
 
 “ Sorry. ” The woman cut in, clearly feeling it as her right to do so. Martin was unsure of what he was doing wrong, but he was new here, he ’ d let her say her piece. “ That ’ s not quite how we do it here. ” Martin stared at her, waiting for her to explain. “ You see, you must tell us something that you have never wrong, as a result of your drinking, you see. ” Upper class privilege seemed to ooze off her. 
 
 “ And then, all the people who have done that horrible thing must repent. ” 
 
 “ Repent? ” 
 
 “ Yes. Everyone repents by drinking the sewer water in the cups provided. Very soon the thought of evil, horrible deeds like these disgust you, just like the sewer water does now. ” 
 
 Martin looked down at the cup he was holding in his hand. He hadn ’ t noticed when he had picked it up that there was an oily sheen over the top of it, and now it had been brought to his attention, he became very aware of the distinct smell of eggs rising from it. 
 
 The eyes still looked at him expectantly. Even the man next to him had lifted his head to watch Martin ’ s performance. 
 
 Martin paused for a moment, and then released his cup of rotten water, letting it fall to the floor. 
 
 “ Fuck this, ” he exclaimed, turning around to leave, “ alcoholism ’ s better than this shit. ” 

