leighbrent1832 — 12 years ago(October 01, 2013 11:26 PM)

Back in the 1990's I was trying to quit smoking for the umpteenth time and a friend took me to a Smokers Anonymous meeting in a church basement* on W. 96th Street in NYC. As luck would have it, I was the first to be asked why I was there. Having never been to any 12-step program, I said "I want to stop smoking." "WRONG" a grey haired man sitting near me said. "You have to say you first name and reason." I just sat there and stared AND then stated my first name and reason. That adviser was Ralph Waite who I found out per the several meetings I attended was in NY to possibly do a play (he had done his first in 1963.) After the meetings, an entourage of SA attendees would gather around Ralph on the sidewalk outside th7ece church. I didn't but I'm sure he was interesting. Everyone looked rapt.
Disclaimer:
I don't think I've broken the anonymity bonds against leaking at this late date and I haven't disclosed what Ralph said about smoking (which I still remember) plus most people are not closet smokers.
Aside:
My friend who took me to the meeting said: "That can't be Ralph Waitehe doesn't have grey hair." I had to inform this friend that time takes its revenge on us all it had been a long time since The Waltons.
*Interestingl
y, Waite had gotten a Masters from Yale's Divinity School and had been a Presbyterian minister when young but only returned to organized religion 50 years later in 2010.