Juvie

Zach is intelligent, charming, good looking, cool - and he knows it. Young people from the end of the fabric he’s cut from have these shiny Tyvek exteriors reinforced by all the self confidence and self esteem that money can buy. I’m not really sure how it happened but I recently became “the cool sponsor” to a small group of hipsters that have gotten in trouble and who are trying to keep their parents off their backs. That’s how I met Zach. I agreed to sponsor him last Wednesday. We were supposed to meet with each other on Thursday. He called in sick. To his credit he really did sound sick and since I’ve been recovering from bronchitis myself I allowed it. Friday, at Zach’s request, his mother called to tell me that he’s in the little Big House till at least tomorrow.

Right on! I don’t know how cool a sponsor these kids are going to think I am if they figure out that when their parents call me I’m going to speak honestly with them; or if they find out that I am there to help their family as much as their families ask me to. Mom and I had a nice chat about letting her son pay the consequences for his actions. I told her that everyone who tried to save me from my consequences only prolonged the misery. I told her that I’m there to support her.

I know that with Joe, my first sponsee, that I was blessed beyond measure. Joe came to me entirely willing. Joe has done all of the work. I just gave Joe instructions for his 8th step. Joe was the perfect sponsee for me at the perfect time. I suspect that with some of these other kids, kids like Zach, what I’m really shooting for is to help them to such a thorough understanding of the first step that when they get one they’ll recognize it. Maybe to help them recognize it sooner than later. I guess we’ll see. Part of me is really hopeful that a couple of days locked up will help Zach understand ‘unmanageability’ a little better, maybe make him a little more willing to carry on with the work. I hope he’ll let his cool facade down enough to get a little taste of what recovery has to offer.

Then again, part of me just thinks having a sponsee go to juvie is funny. I get to be young and dangerous and cool vicariously, which for an old nerd like me is . . . sweet.