The Most Important of Doors

 

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I sit in my car looking across the parking lot at a crowd of people gathered round the looming double glass doors, chatting amiably. Some happy, some expressionless. A few nervously kicking the ground as the ash on their cigarettes grows longer.

“Okay,” I tell myself “You can do this.” I nervously open my car door and start walking to the crowd. Before I could make three steps everybody began to file in through the door, one by one, until it was eerily silent and empty outside.

The absence of people made the door appear to grow in size as it was the most important door I would ever walk through in my life. In reality it is.

The door handle feels cold in my hand which is surprising as it is a typical Texas summer day, sweltering hot. I push the door, it resists a little as if it is saying “Are you sure?” I am. As I go through the door into the foyer, an older man approaches me and says “Welcome is this your first time?” It must be obvious from the look of fear and anxiety on my face. He leads me to the room filled with people, all chattering and sharing niceties in their seats. I expect the room to fall silent and all of their gazes to turn to me but they don’t Instead I find an empty chair at the back of the room and sit down, the gentleman next to me smiles and says hello. I feel a little relief as I look at all the people, suddenly I don’t feel as alone anymore. An older guy with silver hair and glasses comes to the podium and says “Welcome to the Up The Street Club, and Tuesdays Alcoholics Anonymous.

Russell