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“I’m an alcoholic called Kansas City Bob, “ the elderly gent said, in a voice that was surprisingly young. With 51 years sobriety, after all, he had to be well into his seventies, at least. He had been asked to read The Promises in the early part of the meeting, and he responded with a lively recitation. “I ask you” he ad-libbed melodramatically toward the end of the piece, are these extravagant promises? We— think—not!” The group laughed, and he finished the reading.

It was 1999, and Bob E. had just moved to San Antonio from Kansas City, Mo. Well, sort of. Retired and widowed, with sons in Florida and St. Petersburg, he had decided to divide his time between the two places. And San Antonio AA was the richest for it.

Bob had come into the program in 1948. Just out of the military after service in WWII, he had hit bottom with alcohol when he was only 28.

“that was two strikes against me right away,” he recalled, “as far as some of the oldtimers were concerned. They hadn’t had much luck getting ex-military folks sober.” And some of them thought he was too young. “People kept telling me they had spilled more than I had drunk,” Bob said. “ I guess they figured I was too young to have a real bottom.”

Or to have much anything of value to share, apparently. “Most of those old guys didn’t want to hear newcomers talk,” Bob said. “They told me all I knew was how to get drunk, and they already knew how to do that, so I should just sit down, shut up and listen.”

So, he listened and watched— and remembered what turned out to be an exciting time in the history of Alcoholics Anonymous.

In the late forties in Kansas City, AAs met mostly in small groups in members homes and apartments. Once or twice a month they congregated in large groups (sometimes 200 +) in churches or clubs.

In all these venues, they argued a lot about how groups should be run. As with AA in San Antonio, different factions vied for power; members split off and formed new groups: there was even a gambling controversy (sound familiar?) at the newly established AA club. And yet (as in San Antonio and the rest of the country), the fellowship continued to prosper and grow. “It was all just growing pains,? Said KC Bob, “Just AA finding itself.”

Was there a big difference between AA in the forties and fifties and AA as we know it today? “Well, the principles haven’t changed, thank God, “ Bob said, “But there are some differences. For one thing, people come in earlier these days. In the old days, it seemed as if folks had to really hit bottom hard.

“New members coming from treatment centers brought some changes, too. Drug talk probably diluted the alcohol message a bit. And yet, treatment centers brought us more women and young people, and I think, made us more open-minded.?

So, AAs have not always been Open-minded, on the whole? “Let’s just say we’re not all that fond of change.” Bob laughed, “I remember when the idea of AA birthday chips was first introduced. Some of those old guys had a fit. One said, ‘well, I’ve been sober three years, and nobody ever gave me a medallion for it.’ But the chip that bothered some was the desire chip. One guy said, ‘You mean we’re gonna reward people for doing nothing—for just saying they’re alcoholics?”

When Bob moved to San Antonio, he met another oldtimer named Dade R. Dade, who also had around 50 years sobriety, used to arrive at Club 12 meetings in a taxi. Then, regardless of the topic, he almost always spoke first at the meeting, “ He was a character.” said Bob, “and very outspoken.”

The two elder statesmen soon found themselves in an ongoing mostly-friendly argument. Dade insisted that he was a “recovered” alcoholic, while KC Bob called himself a “recovering” alcoholic. One year when Dade was scheduled to celebrate his birthday, Bob, who would be out of town for the occasion, left him a chip and a card. “To Dade, the recovered alcoholic,” the card read, “from KC Bob, the recovering alcoholic.” Dade, not known for his sense of humor, never mentioned the gesture.

Did Bob have the longest AA sobriety in San Antonio? You could make a case for that. In fact, his sobriety was almost certainly among the longest in the country. At a “Weekend in San Antonio” Convention sobriety countdown in the early 2000s, Kansas City Bob was the last one standing. In 2006—at 86—he would celebrate 58 years of sobriety.

Reprinted from A History of Alcoholics Anonymous in San Antonio, page137-138 & 139

The Grapevine is faced with some real difficulties at this time and we need to make every effort we can to help out. The Grapevine Board would like as much input as they can get.

The SW Region Delegates will be sending out these 4 questions to the fellowship regarding the Grapevine and then will compile the responses and report back to the AA Grapevine Corporate Board by 12/31/10

Please work with your GSR/DCM/GVR to provide your input as it is very important for this effort.

The Area 39 Delegate’s Report for the 2010 Conference is on the Western Area of Missouri Website in English, Spanish, and French. If you have not yet had a chance to hear the Delegate’s report his travel schedule is also posted on the site— www.wamo-aa.org then click on Area 39 on the menu.

MONTHLY C.O. DELEGATE MEETING

Next meeting on September 12 at 10am, to be hosted by the Sobriety First Group, 117 N. Chester.
(Ste. 7, in basement), Lenexa, KS. map

REGULAR DISTRICT AND SERVICE

Dist. 9 : GSR and Service Mtg. 2nd Thursday each month, 7pm Bethel Group, 7856 Leavenworth Rd. Kansas City, KS

Dist 10: GSR and Service Mtg. 6:30pm 1st Thursday each month, Leawood Group, 2715 W. 83rd St., Leawood , KS

Dist. 3 GSR and Service Committee Mtg. At 2pm on the 2nd Sunday each month
(except for Mother's Day) at the Liberty Group, 1323 E. H Hwy, Liberty, MO 64068 816-781-9766.

Dist 6 Business Mtg. are held on the first Sunday of each month, unless a holiday,
1:30-3:30pm at KCMO #1 Group. 311 W. 80th Terr., Kansas City, MO.

Dist. 7 GSR and Service Mtg. : October 17 @ 3:30pm-Englewood Winners Group.
Next dates: November 22 @ 1:30pm-Grassroots Group.

Western Area Missouri Assembly - *September 25 & 26- Sedalia Best Western, Sedalia, MO
*Due to other events also taking place in Sedalia at the above dates, any additional lodging in town is no longer available. You might try nearby cities such as Warrensburg, Marshall, Warsaw, etc.

MAY THEY REST IN PEACE—THEY WILL BE MISSED

Stewart F. Pflumm Sober Group

Pat H. Richmond Group

Shane A. Liberty Group

Things we can not change

There are many opportunities to work with the wet drunk and a lot of sober ones. Carry the Central Office Pager for a week. It is a great way to do a little service work.

Did you know that your Central Office has a folder for every group. We keep up with the groups beginning and moving or group meeting time changes. If you haven’t sent us a group history, please do so. When you visit the Office ask to see if we have a group history on your group. We have a folder for every group in the area.

Ways to support your Central Office

1. Birthday Contributions—it is suggested a $1.00 per year of sobriety; some give more, the limit set by your General Service office is $3,000.00 per year.

2. Group Contributions—the office has about 240 groups listed. Group contributing to Central Office on a regular basis is about 13% of the 240.

*3. Anonymous Contribution—An individual can contribute on a monthly basis. With the same limit as #1 states. Some other Central Office have a “faithful fiver club” in which individual members contribute or pledge a certain amount to be donated on a monthly basis.

4. Pay for your literature orders when you get them. Some groups are not paying their bills for 60 to 90 days. Which makes the cash flow slow down.

If you have other ideas that could be considered, please, we would like to hear from you. Central Office needs your help.

*We have started a monthly contribution called Central Office Angels. Those who would like to commit to a regular amount can put it on your credit card. You need to come by and fill out and sign a form to let us charge the monthly amount to your card. Thanks for helping us to help others.