Inside an AA Meeting: A First-Hand Observational Report

Introduction and Background

This report documents an observation of an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting held on April 17, from 6:30 to 7:30 P.M., in Paso Robles, California.

I had previously contacted the leader of the AA meeting to request permission to attend a session. He asked whether I was with the media, and I explained that this was for a college class. After clarifying that everything discussed in these meetings is open, he made clear that I was not to use any real names in my report. I agreed, and what follows is an account of what occurred at that meeting.

The Setting and Atmosphere

As I approached the meeting place — located at the back of a small retail building on a busy street near downtown — several men and a woman were smoking cigarettes outside and greeted me with a friendly "hi." There was an outdoor ashtray jammed full of cigarette butts, though none were on the ground. I arrived a few minutes early and chatted with two of the participants, who were drinking black coffee. "There's a big coffee pot inside if you would like a cup," said a man with a small frame, shaky hands, and a face marked by deep scars and wrinkles. "But there's no smoking inside," he added. "California laws, you know."

Inside, steel folding chairs were arranged in a large circle in the center of the room. There were five tall windows on each side, but curtains covered them, admitting very little outside light. It was April, and the sun did not set until well after seven o'clock, but the interior lighting was adequate. Lights were placed in the ceiling corners — not bright spotlights, but softer fixtures that illuminated the room without being harsh. The space smelled of coffee and cigarettes: the latter because that odor clings to clothing, and nearly everyone present smoked. There was a small kitchenette with a large, old-fashioned drip coffee maker; paper cups, sugar, and powdered creamer were available. The counter was noticeably messy, as participants did not tidy up after serving themselves. I counted eleven people present at the start, plus the leader.

Group Demographics and Participants

At the start of the meeting, eleven people (not counting myself or the leader) were seated in the room. The leader was a powerfully built African-American Vietnam veteran. There were three women, seated together. One was probably in her sixties, with a nervous tic that caused her head to twitch when she spoke. Another was around thirty, a very attractive brunette wearing considerable makeup, tight-fitting jeans, and a blue sweater. The third woman was quite overweight, with straggly hair and prominent blemishes; she appeared to be in her forties.

The men varied from working class to middle class. Three working-class members were Latino; another appeared to be of Middle Eastern background; the rest were Caucasian. One of the Latino men had tattoos covering his arms entirely, and he had removed his jacket to wear a sleeveless t-shirt, making them clearly visible. Two of the Caucasian men wore dress slacks and button-down shirts, as though they had come directly from office jobs.

The group was friendly; they all knew one another and engaged in small talk whenever the leader was not calling for attention. This was not a grim meeting — there was laughter, and it was evident that members shared habits of heavy coffee drinking and cigarette smoking. Halfway through the meeting, a twelfth man arrived — probably in his early thirties, wearing an Oakland Raiders hoodie and a Raiders cap turned backward. He was chewing tobacco and kept a spittoon next to his chair. No one seemed bothered by this habit. He was clearly a regular and appeared very much at home.

Meeting Format and Proceedings

This was an "open speaker meeting," and I was the only person present who was not an alcoholic. At the last minute, a thirteenth person arrived — a heavyset man with a bald head and thick glasses — who was the featured speaker. He was introduced, stood, and said: "I am an alcoholic, but I haven't had a drink in four years, three months, and two days." The room erupted in applause, clapping, and whistling.

After he finished, there was another round of applause, and then, one by one, the other participants stood and shared brief accounts of their week. Each person offered roughly a minute's worth of reflection on their lives over the past seven days. Some had struggled; others had enjoyed good weeks. Everyone listened respectfully. When it came my turn to speak, I explained that I was a college student and thanked the group for making me feel welcome. They applauded when I finished — though, as I quickly realized, they applauded after every person spoke, so it was nothing out of the ordinary on my behalf. I had dressed informally in a cardigan sweater, clean jeans, and boots, and I fit in reasonably well with what others were wearing.