Non-participation Trophy

“Getting the DUI when I wasn’t really drunk – kind of a cliché,” he said. “But listen, I need a letter saying I’ve arranged to get counseling. Can you help me out?”

“Sure, give me your email,” I said. “I don’t do direct service anymore, but I can send you some names.”

“I really don’t need to see anyone.  I know what I did wrong. I just need a letter.”

“Do you believe in participation trophies?” I asked.

“What does that have to do with anything?” he asked.

“A participation trophy would be like you going to treatment, doing the bare minimum, and getting a letter of completion. You want one without doing that much. You want a non-participation trophy.”

“Are you going to write me the letter?”

“There’s no non-participation trophies in addiction treatment. I’m not going to write it.  By the way, there’s no participation trophies in recovery.  You can collect AA and NA 24 hour keytags, but if you don’t work at it, you don’t stay clean and sober. 

Today I’ll remember there’s no participation trophies in recovery.

Burnout Training ©2018 by Ken Montrose

Burnout Training is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and anyone you might know is purely coincidental.

Other works by Ken Montrose are available at: www.greenbriartraining.com https://www.pinterest.com/kenmontrose/mt-rose/