Twelve-Step recovery programs are a perfect match for noir fiction. I was in Overeaters Anonymous and attended meetings twice a day. The meetings always were in dark, smoke filled rooms. The OA attendees were very depressed. I often went over to the AA meetings which offered coffee. They laughed a lot. The OA people were much more sullen. But they . had it much harder. Their days were consumed with getting through the next meal without binge eating. I quickly saw that the men at the meetings were primarily interested in exploiting the vulnerable women there. Despite a ban on dating, It was land sharks everywhere, looking for their target for the night. I imagine the sex took their minds off food. But you had the perfect noir set up: damaged people sitting in dark enclosures, hungry for something and settling for sex. What was troubling was no one seemed interested in getting better. I fell in love with a woman I met at OA. After a few week, she abruptly broke off the affair. Sometime later I learned she had committed suicide. That hit me like a ton of bricks. I left the program and went into serious therapy. In the process of dealing with my terrible parents, I stopped binge eating. However, to this day, I still avoid Christmas parties and buffets with unlimited food.
Thanks! That was diabolical! From the careful delineation of the wealthy sap to the outbursts of sex, it was a great thing to wake up to!
Great choice to share with us. I love it!
wow, I feel like I need to go to confession for enjoying that so much! yes, the understatement of the sex packs a wallop indeed. thankx!
Alicia will love to hear it. Yes, Matthew, heavy penance indeed!
Thank you all so much! Y’all are getting my writing juices going again!
Yes, yes yes! Alicia, do you still have your Law and Order stories around? I always wanted to re-read them.
Twelve-Step recovery programs are a perfect match for noir fiction. I was in Overeaters Anonymous and attended meetings twice a day. The meetings always were in dark, smoke filled rooms. The OA attendees were very depressed. I often went over to the AA meetings which offered coffee. They laughed a lot. The OA people were much more sullen. But they . had it much harder. Their days were consumed with getting through the next meal without binge eating. I quickly saw that the men at the meetings were primarily interested in exploiting the vulnerable women there. Despite a ban on dating, It was land sharks everywhere, looking for their target for the night. I imagine the sex took their minds off food. But you had the perfect noir set up: damaged people sitting in dark enclosures, hungry for something and settling for sex. What was troubling was no one seemed interested in getting better. I fell in love with a woman I met at OA. After a few week, she abruptly broke off the affair. Sometime later I learned she had committed suicide. That hit me like a ton of bricks. I left the program and went into serious therapy. In the process of dealing with my terrible parents, I stopped binge eating. However, to this day, I still avoid Christmas parties and buffets with unlimited food.