Hat Tip and thanks to unofficial TDA researcher AnnaZ for the heads up on this one!
The University of Virginia Library is celebrating the 200th anniversary of Edgar Allen Poe’s birth by announcing the acquisition of a very rare and personal letter written by Poe to his publisher in 1842. What makes this letter so relevant to our site is that it is an excellent example of one of the most exasperating and indicative behaviors of an alcoholic- excuse making.
Will you be kind enough to put the best possible interpretation upon my behavior in N. York? You must have conceived a queer idea of me- but the simple truth is that Wallace would insist upon the juleps, and I knew not what I was either doing or saying. ~ Edgar Allen Poe
This is not the first time I’ve mentioned Poe on the blog, but I think this post will strike a chord more with the families and friends of alcoholics and addicts who are often the target of such excuses. They know the most painful part of this behavior is that the person they love is not actually begging for forgiveness, but instead just asking for a reprieve so that they can continue on with same behavior. True to the alcoholic playbook, Poe is making excuses for his intoxicated antics in order to get money (to support his habit)- not because he is truly wanting to make amends.
To see the full letter in high resolution, click here and scroll down on the right hand column of the UV Library press release.
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What’s important to note about Poe is that he really was a “recovering” alcoholic. He was very much aware of the problems he had with drinking and tried to avoid drinking (in the days before self-help books, meetings, and 12 steps). The longest he went that we’ve been able to prove is 18 months, possibly as long as four years. Most people don’t mention the “recovering” aspect of Poe’s alcoholism, unfortunately.