| Chapter 1: | A Meeting Observed |
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When Lynn (the latecomer) spoke, the chairperson seized the moment and invited her to share. This resulted in a return to an uninterrupted episode of sustained sharing; Lynn addressed her remarks to the newcomer’s concerns by relating her own particular experiences.
The newcomer again interrupted with a direct question, making another attempt to return to what is referred to as adjacency questions and answers, which the other members had earlier resisted. This time, the chair suggested that they close the meeting so everyone could simply ‘chat’ for the rest of the time. In response, Lynn vigorously nodded. After the usual closing rituals—reciting the Serenity Prayer in a circle while holding hands—the meeting was closed and the group engaged in normal interactive conversation, taking turns with questions and answers, asking advice and giving explanations. During this informal chat, now out of the meeting frame, there was no attempt to engage in the sustained turns that typify sharing in AA meetings.
The question here is this: Why had the chair found it necessary to close the meeting? He appeared reluctant to allow the meeting to proceed as a question-and-answer session, involving what AA members refer to as ‘cross-talk’. However, as the chairperson, he did not direct the newcomer how to talk in a meeting. He had steered the meeting to extended sharing on two occasions—but this had broken down both times under pressure of the constant questioning from the newcomer. As everyone had shared, the meeting was brought to an early end, not because the interaction had finished but because the chair had decided the required nature of the interaction was not the type that could take place within an AA meeting.
Some Preliminary Questions
It is interesting to note that during the meeting the newcomer asked direct questions but received no direct responses; this would normally be considered ‘rude’ in ordinary conversation.