Just for Today by Tana Reiff Page A

think.
    He just walked in
    and ordered a drink.
    He sat with Jerry
    for hours.
    Before Biff knew it,
    he was
    falling down drunk.
    The bartender
    called a cab
    for Biff.
    He crawled
    into the car,
    feeling like the biggest fool
    in the whole world.
    Abby was not pleased.
    Nor was she surprised.
    She had been waiting
    for this day.
    She helped Biff
    to bed.
    He was asleep
    as soon as his head
    hit the pillow.
    Then morning came.
    “What have I done?”
    Biff cried to Abby.
    “I can’t believe
    I went to the pub.
    I’m so so so sorry.”
    “You’re human,”
    Abby said,
    with love in her voice.
    “You had a slip.
    We all stumble
    sometimes.”
    She gave him
    a long hug.
    Biff pulled
    Henry’s number
    out of his wallet.
    He turned over
    the little card.
    He looked
    at the number again.
    And then he called.
    Henry did his job
    as a sponsor.
    He listened.
    He talked Biff down.
    He told Biff
    to read the card
    and the books
    from AA.
    Then Henry said,
    “See you tomorrow
    at the meeting.”
    And he did.
    Biff was there,
    good as new.
    “My name is Biff,
    and I’m an alcoholic.”
    He went on
    to tell about his slip.
    “I don’t know why
    I messed up,”
    he said.
    The group
    helped him
    think it out.
    The day after that,
    Biff went
    to the meeting
    to pick up
    his 24-hours chip.

Chapter 13
    Biff picked up
    his 24-hours chip.
    And then he got
    his 7-days chip.
    And his 30-days chip.
    He kept on going
    to meetings.
    After some time
    he did not go every day.
    But he did go
    two or three times
    every week.
    He had not seen
    his friend Jerry
    from the pub
    since the night
    of his slip.
    Then one night
    there was Jerry,
    at a meeting.
    It was great
    to see him.
    Biff had missed
    his old friend.
    He just couldn’t go
    to the pub.
    And that was where
    Jerry could always be found.
    Until now.
    After the meeting,
    Biff and Jerry
    went out
    for a cup of coffee.
    They started
    going for coffee
    after all the meetings.
    Some days
    they went out
    for a bite to eat.
    Sometimes, other people
    came along.
    Biff was having
    a good time.
    He didn’t even notice
    the good times came
    without a drink.
    And without
    a bad stomach.
    And without
    a bad hangover.
    And with a good job
    to go to the next day.
    At home,
    making dinner with Abby
    became an every night thing.
    They tried new dishes
    and gained a few pounds.
    For both Biff and Abby,
    it was the best time
    of the day.
    One night
    Abby asked Biff
    a question.
    “Do you think
    you’ll ever drink again?”
    “I don’t want to, Baby,”
    said Biff.
    “But I can’t look
    that far ahead.
    I’ll think about tomorrow
    when it gets here.
    Right now,
    I’m living
    just for today.
    One day at a time.
    In the present.
    Because right now
    is all there is.
    You know what I mean?”
    “I do,”
    said Abby.
    “Just for today.”
    They lifted
    their water glasses.
    “To today,”
    said Biff.
    “To today,”
    said Abby.
    Then they tapped
    their glasses together
    in a toast to today.