August 1944

A/coho/is Give Famous Producer Mov h g Experience have found the way to fortify themselves There a few unforgettable seeking with the same old poison to be was to help others. So the aspirant experiences that take permanent place in freed from the tortures of the same old becomes a helping hand, an Anonymous memory and become a continuing source poison. hand. Now he is in the stream of of enrichment – the first dollar I was given It all has a caged squirrel sound, geometrical progression – one helps one, as a child and which I promptly spent on the prisoner spinning around and around two help two and so on until now an ugly hassock, as a present for my and never getting out until the friendly thousands are helping thousands and mother; the day I left home for hand, no longer trembling, released him. ultimately it will be hundreds of preparatory school, accompanied by my The similarity of the pattern all the thousands. Old John has no way of undemonstrative and taciturn father, speakers had lived was revealing. Old coping with geometrical progression. So expecting some words of advice, but John is not very original. He seems to far as he is concerned this springing on hearing nothing until my foot was on the have only two or three holds. When him of an old law is a dirty trick. The only car step when he said: “Don’t make a those no longer work he is licked. laws he ever knew could be broken. damm fool of yourself”; the middle of-the- Apparently his strongest hold is to Where do they get this geometrical night visit when the hospital attendants convince the opponent that he is really a progression stuff? could not keep him out of my room harmless old fellow who can be handled This was the unforgettable because he had to see for himself that I the next time – but it is always the next experience I started to tell you about. was alive; the day when as a cub time. And now you see why. God was nearer reporter in Cleveland I established the When the opponent finally that night than I have ever known Him. identity of the mysterious slayer of discovers that Old John’s assurance is a He was actually to be seen at work. His McKinley; the day just a little later when sly come-on, he is starting one from the ways were not for that evening I was assigned to cover Theodore floor that will eventually knock Old John mysterious. His presence shone in many Roosevelt’s hasty inauguration as the flat. faces. It isn’t often we actually meet God. Ansley Wilcox home in Buffalo and saw It is the helping hand that points Arfhur Hopkins Elihu Root, in tears, administer the oath, out the opening in Old John’s defense. nearly everyone in the room crying, but The helping hand knows because he, not Teddy; the night my first play opened too, had been victimized. in New York and was a success; the Other helping hands, Anonymous night I presented John Barrymore in hands, take hold. “Hamlet.” There are a few more, but in Someone suggests that maybe recent years the most unforgettable God would be glad to help him. Later on, experience was a meeting at Webster the surprised aspirant not only finds help Hall of Alcoholics Anonymous. but at the same time finds God. If this Light-hearted people told with was the road he had to travel to find such a sense of freedom among friends God, then the whole torturing journey the degradations experienced in a ceases to be a shameful memory. Any hopeless and tenacious battle with John trip that ends in God’s presence is worth Barleycorn, and how out of the dark any torture, even any pain inflicted on came a friendly hand, an understanding others. hand, that once had tremblingly raised Then comes the third step. The many a desperately needed hooker, helping hands have told him that they 2