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Biography:
"An Alcoholic's Wife"
Marie B., Cleveland, Ohio.
(p. 378 in 1st edition.)
Marie, a non-alcoholic,
was the wife of Walter B. ("The Backslider"). Walter first
joined A.A. in September 1935.
There is indication in the
Akron archives that Marie may have written the first draft
of "To Wives," which Bill then edited. But "Dr. Bob and
the Good Oldtimers" and "Lois Remembers" both state that
Bill W. wrote it.
She started her brief story
by saying "I have the misfortune, or I should say the good
fortune, of being an alcoholic's wife. I say misfortune
because of the worry and grief that goes with drinking,
and good fortune because we found a new way of living."
Marie worried constantly
about her husband's drinking, went to work to pay the bills,
covered his bad checks, and took care of their home and
their son.
When he stopped drinking
she thought their problems were over, but soon found she
had to work on her own defects and that they both had to
give their problems to God.
She ended her story by saying
"My husband and I now talk over our problems and trust in
a Divine Power. We have now started to live. When we live
with God we want for nothing."
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