Right thing, whatever reason

The next day Terry was back.  He said hello as he walked quietly past my office and into the group room five minutes early.  Group members and The Other Ken arrived.  I didn’t hear Terry raise his voice once during the group. He stayed for the entire session.

When group was over, the members filed past my office on their way outside.  I overheard the last two guys talking about Terry.

“It’s all bullshit. Terry’s just doing whatever it takes to get the judge and the therapists off his back,” a young man named Benjamin said.  “He doesn’t mean any of that stuff he said. He might be doing the right thing, but it’s for the wrong reason.”

An older man named Marty argued, “Al Capone ran a soup kitchen during the great depression.  He did it ‘cause he needed to change his image.  He wanted the support of the people to make it easier for the politicians, judges, and the police to look the other way. It was all about corruption and perception, but a lot of hungry people got fed. Right thing, wrong reason.”

“Nobody but Terry benefits from his little act,” Benjamin countered. “He might be saying and doing the right thing, but it’s for selfish reasons.”

Benjamin asked me what I thought.  I told him whether Terry was sincere or not, he was doing what he needed to do to get sober.  “It’s a step in the right direction,” I said, “no matter why he’s doing it.”

Today I won’t judge someone doing something right even if I suspect it’s for the wrong reason.

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)