Matt thought something was wrong when JoAnn did not promptly answer her doorbell. Late the day before he had agreed to pick up Defco's quarterly accounting information at 7:00 A.M. at her home in order to get an early start on preparing Defco's mid year financial statements. Defco was negotiating a large bank loan and needed the work done right away. As the corporation's controller, it was JoAnn's responsibility to deliver the information to Matt, the outside CPA, and to answer any questions he might have regarding the financial affairs of the corporation.

Matt definitely knew something was wrong when he heard JoAnn's disembodied voice through her front door intercom weakly asking him to "come on in." He entered to see JoAnn setting at the dining room table. She was staring through dark glasses into an empty coffee cup with the collar of a bathrobe pulled up around her neck. As his eyes became accustomed to the dark, Matt realized the place was a shambles.

"What the - what happened here?" exclaimed Matt.

"It was Jack - he came home drunk last night," whispered JoAnn through swollen lips.

"Jack - your husband Jack - Defco's operations manager?" Matt was incredulous. He had known Jack for years as a kind, gentle and fun loving man. Matt sat down at the table briefly, then got up and went to JoAnn's kitchen. "Got any coffee in this place?"

"In the cupboard over the sink," responded JoAnn weakly.

Matt rummaged around, found the coffee and proceeded to brew a pot. It wasn't so much that he needed coffee as time to think.

"Where is Jack now?" asked Matt as he reentered the dining room with two cups of coffee, handing one to JoAnn.

"County jail. The neighbors called the Sheriff."

"Want me to bail him out?" asked Matt.

"I already talked to Bob. He's going to take care of it. Thanks anyway," responded JoAnn weakly as she sipped her coffee. Bob was the owner and president of Defco.

"You going to let him come home?" asked Matt, realizing after he asked that he probably shouldn't have.

"I don't know what to do," answered JoAnn in a broken voice between sobs. "This is so terrible. I am so embarrassed."

Matt realized his cup was empty and got up to get more coffee. He instinctively reached for JoAnn's cup. She handed it to him. Neither realized that it was still almost full. Matt went to the kitchen, emptied JoAnn's cup into the sink and poured two new ones, paying no attention at all to his own actions. These people were good friends. He wanted to help, but not to meddle. What to do? Were there answers?

"OK if I say something?" asked Matt, with considerable hesitation and somewhat clumsily.

"Sure."

"This is serious, and it won't get better by itself. Jack needs help, but he probably won't get it unless you force him," ventured Matt.

"What are you saying?" demanded JoAnn, almost angrily.

"As you probably already know, the Courts in this county don't tolerate domestic violence," responded Matt. "But their resources are limited. The best thing you can do for Jack is to not let him back in the house until he's enrolled in a program."

"I don't know, Matt. I'm just so embarrassed." JoAnn was repeating herself, but she was no longer crying and she was holding her head up.

"Well, I need to get going," commented Matt as he picked up a large manila envelope from JoAnn's table and headed for the door. "I'll call you as soon as I have something to look at."

* * *

The following day Matt called Defco's accounting department and asked for JoAnn.

"This is JoAnn," answered JoAnn in a clear and even voice. She sounded very normal - very professional.

"This is Matt."

"Yes, Matt."

"Your information looks good but I've got a couple questions. Your projected profits on the wharf job look too good and your retainage on the parking lot job seems excessive. How about checking them out and calling me back." Matt was equally professional.

JoAnn returned the call inside of fifteen minutes with complete information. Matt accepted her answers and proceeded to complete Defco's financial statements. He had completed them by 10:00 the following morning.

* * *

"This is JoAnn," answered JoAnn in a confident clear voice.

"This is Matt. I just finished your statements. Want me to mail them; want to pick them up; or how about lunch?"

"Lunch sounds good," responded JoAnn. "How about Johnny's in forty-five minutes? That will get us in before it gets crowded."

Aside from sunglasses and a high collar, JoAnn looked normal - poised and professional. She took a seat across from Matt, who did not get up. JoAnn had made it perfectly clear on prior occasions that she did not want him or any other man opening doors for her or standing when she arrived at the table. She was a business executive who just happened to be a woman, and she wanted no deference whatsoever. Matt, a southerner, was not particularly comfortable with that, however he valued both the Defco account and his professional relationship with JoAnn, and he intended to keep them. He had placed the envelope containing the statements on the table when he sat down. JoAnn picked it up and set it on the seat beside her. She obviously did not want to discuss the statements. The waiter arrived with menus and coffee.

"I took your advice," stated JoAnn in a matter of fact tone of voice.

"Oh - what advice?" responded Matt, trying to remember what advice he had given this client.

"About Jack."

"Oh - that. I was thinking about business." responded Matt, grateful that his memory had not suddenly failed him.

"He'll be coming home tonight. He agreed to join AA. He went last night," stated JoAnn. "I appreciate your taking a few minutes with me the other morning."

"Thanks. I appreciate you telling me that. I was concerned that I was meddling." Matt was very relieved.

* * *

"Matt, do you have a few minutes to talk," asked JoAnn. "I need to talk about my personal life." It had been six months since their lunch at Johnny's and they were in the middle of preparing Defco's year-end financial statements. Matt could tell from JoAnn's demeanor that something was bothering her.

"Sure"

"It's Jack," stated JoAnn.

"Is he drinking again?"

"No - I almost wish he were. He's got religion."

"Jack? Going to church?" Matt was surprised.

"At least three time a week. He's obsessed. He went to AA for a few meetings, then he met some guy who talked him into going to church. At first I was delighted, but now I'm worried."

"Is he doing anything wrong?" asked Matt.

"Not really, but he's not the guy I married. He has turned into a fanatic. Bob had to tell him to quit preaching to the employees or he would be fired. I don't know what to do." JoAnn was worried. This was a problem she could not fix, and she was not accustomed to problems she could not fix.

"Probably isn't much you can do," commented Matt. "Sounds like he has found something that he believes in and wants to tell everyone else about it."

"You're not much help," retorted JoAnn. "Sounds like you agree with him."

"Let's not get extreme, JoAnn. I haven't forgotten what you looked like six months ago. You can live with a religious fanatic. You can't live with a drunken wife beater. Keep it in prospective. Besides, he'll probably grow out of in a few months anyway." responded Matt.

"Well - maybe. I surely hope so." JoAnn was not confident.

"You know, JoAnn, we all have pain in our lives, and some of us have trouble coping with it. From what you have told me, and what I've been able to see elsewhere, Jack has always been a fun loving guy who never seemed to have any problems. Maybe he is hiding from some secret pain. Compulsive drinking and obsessive religion are both signs of that. Maybe he has reached the time in his life when he can't run any more, and he hasn't found a way to face it."

"I had never thought about it that way." JoAnn looked confused.

"If I wasn't afraid you would throw something at me - or fire me, I would offer you a hug." commented Matt. It was more question than statement. This was one confusing woman. At this moment she was more like a confused little girl than the hard charging business executive to which he was accustomed.

"I think I would like that." responded JoAnn meekly. Matt got up from behind his desk, gave her a warm brother sister hug, and escorted her out of his office toward the receptionist desk. He did not want this getting out of control.

* * *

"JoAnn, this is Matt." said Matt, with some hesitation. "I didn't know if you would be at work today. I saw last night's paper. I just wanted to call and offer any help I could."

"Thanks Matt. But there isn't much anyone can do right now. Jack is still in a coma. He might make it; he might not. The doctors aren't giving us much hope." responded JoAnn.

Matt hung up the phone and reread the headline and front-page column. Apparently Jack and Bob had gone to a bar after work. After almost a year of complete sobriety, Jack has regressed in spectacular fashion. After drinking far too much and then refusing to surrender his keys to Bob, he had run off the road at high speed. There wasn't much left to the car. He had barely missed a concrete pillar, ran up an embankment and came to a stop in a briar thicket. He was very lucky to be alive. Matt wondered if Jack had attempted to hit the pillar and failed.

* * *

"Matt, this is JoAnn. I have good news." Joann sounded hopeful but guarded. "Jack is out of the coma. It looks like he's going to make it."

"That's great. Can he have visitors?" queried Matt.

"Yes. The doctors think that would be good for him. But he still looks awful."

"Fine. I'll stop by later today and see him."

* * *

Jack was setting in bed, propped up with pillows, when Matt arrived. He looked battered, but very much alive; far better than Matt had expected.

"That was one hell of a way to get attention," cracked Matt, "Good to see you are alive."

"Yeah - I suppose." Jack didn't seem convinced.

"Anything I can do for you? Can I get you anything? Books, magazines?" queried Matt, feeling uncomfortable, self conscious and clumsy.

"No, but you could set down and talk to me for a while."

"Sure, what do you want to talk about?" asked Matt, settling into a padded hospital chair.

"I seem to remember back ten - maybe fifteen years - you were hitting the bars real hard?"

"Yeah."

"Then you quit?"

"Yeah."

"How did you do it?"

Matt looked at Jack, then at the ceiling. Then he got up and looked out the window. "You really want to hear the story? The real one?" Matt was very uncomfortable.

"Damn right I do. I'm in a lot of pain. I wouldn't be here now if I could have seen that bridge pillar. I can't do anything right. I tried to kill myself and blew that too."

Matt returned to his chair, took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I had a talk with the carpenter."

"Jesus Christ?"

"Yeah."

"And?"

"I had been trying to control my boozing but I didn't want to quit. When life got to tough I would hide out in a bottle. I didn't want to give that up, but neither did I want to keep making a fool of myself and setting a bad example for my kids. My wife had divorced me. I had lost almost everything I had, but I was still getting the kids every other weekend. Those were bad days." Matt got up, poured some water into a paper cup and drank it. "I was in this church service, thinking about everything except what the preacher was talking about when this presence sat down next to me. It told me to knock off the boozing. I was terrified. I didn't think I could face life without a bottle to hide in; I didn't think I was strong enough. It told me it had all the strength I needed, and I could have all I wanted - but I had to ask and there were conditions. What it essentially said was 'grab your pain and follow me.'"

"That's it?"

"Not quite. I had to agree."

"Did you?"

"Yes."

"Do you ever miss it - the booze, I mean?" queried Jack.

"Sort of like missing a tooth ache," responded Matt.

"Do you think I could do it that way?" queried Jack.

"That is not for me to say," responded Matt. "I will tell you this, however. If you do, it is not something you should run around telling everyone about. Most people will ignore you, but those who don't will think you're crazy."

* * *

"Matt, this is JoAnn. Do you have our statements finished yet?"

"Hot off the press this morning." responded Matt. "Want me to mail them?"

"How about lunch at Johnny's in forty-five minutes?"

"Sure."

It had been six months since Jack's accident. Matt sat at the same table where he had waited for JoAnn previously. He set the statements on the table and casually glanced through a newspaper while he waited. When JoAnn arrived, he stood before he thought and then apologized. She reassured him it was OK and then went on to say that she must be getting old or something. It now seemed nice when a man opened a door for her or stood up when she arrived at the table. She then picked up the statements and set them on the chair beside her.

"Matt, there is something I have been wanting to ask you."

"Sure, JoAnn, what is it?"

"What happened between you and Jack when you visited him at the hospital?"

"Why do you ask?" queried Matt.

"He's changed. He's in a real alcohol program and he's not drinking. He's still going to church some, but he's not so fanatic about it. He's quieter and easier to live with, and his sense of humor is returning."

"Have you asked him?"

"Yes. He just says you introduced him to a friend."

"I did."

"And that is all you are going to tell me?" asked JoAnn.

"That is all I am going to tell you."

* * * - - - * * *