One of the most remarkable acquaintances I made during of my four-year stint at Bethel was that of Adam Bauerlein. By the time I got there, he was well into his ninth decade, and quite senile.
His story was fascinating... it seems that apart from Katherine Bogard and Grace DeCecca, he had the most seniority of the Bethel family. No longer able to work much, he wandered the halls like a disimbodied spirit. Since I often worked nights, he would look me up on his daily perambulations.
His story was tragi-comic: it seems he had a monumental drinking problem. Early on, I believe it was still in the days of Pastor Russell, he inherited a fortune ($10,000, from his relatives who owned a brewery in Pittsburgh).... ``and you know what? I drank up every penny of it.!''
According to Adam, the problem persisted through Rutherford's and Knorr's administrations. At least once, the local police found him sleeping on the street in a crumpled heap and dumped him in front of the 124 Columbia Heights building.
``I was one of the few who was chewed out by three presidents,'' he often said, half-bragging, or so it seemed.
He was the source of many fascinating tid-bits, such as Rutherford's drinking, Knorr's untrammelled ambition (he was known as ``Blackie'' in his early years), and how many of the guys would cut out of the Monday night WT study to carouse at Times Square: ``use your imagination as to what went on,'' he used to say.
He refused to attend breakfast even when assigned to comment on the daily text. To show him up, Knorr would often call on him for a commenet, knowing full well of he absence and then have the closed-circuit camera trained on his empty chair.
Every year at Memorial time, he would stop by for his annual pep talk: ``I'm unworthy to partake,'' he'd protest, hoping,of course, that I would contradict him... No you're not, Adam, which I did invariably.
``Oh well, you know my story; that's why I'll never be in `Pursuing My Purpose in Life," he loved to say. Poor old Adam.
Adam Bauerlein: anyone remember him?
by Room 215 3 Replies latest jw friends
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Room 215
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Maximus
I'm chuckling with laughter, yet feeling the poignancy of Adam's dilemma.
Adam was the Great Procurer for kids under legal drinking age. Was always available to introduce the newboy to the unrefined Bethel art of drinking beer. The puzzlement is why he never got nailed. (Did he have pictures??) He had some stories about the boys in Legal drinking at nearby hotels in the afternoons.
Roomie, you have fingered Bethel's dirty little secret: the number of functional alcholics there. So many wives too ...
Way underage, my first alcoholic drink was at 124 Columbia Heights, in the office of a guy in Writing who served me lots of sherry. Looking out at the lower Manhattan skyline, I was king of the world ...
Do you remember Grant Suiter's habit of Chivas followed by Heineken chasers? (Gives authenticity to the boys who will know I KNOW.)
Thanks for the memories,
Max -
Room 215
Fond memories, these Maximus.... and of the problem drinkers, who had/have my sympathy, were Joe Cora, Charlie Steele, sisters Groh and (Harley) Miller, to name but a few egregious-- and particularly poignant-- examples.
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metatron
Yes, I remember the poor guy.
I was one of a handful of people (mostly sisters, I think)
who actually attended his funeral talk. It was given by
Swingle who said of Adam:"He always said he was sorry"
That's the cold-assed, hard-hearted, sociopathic
Watchtower Society for you, even when you're dead
after 70 or so decades in Bethel, they're not gonna
preach you into heaven. It's judgement, judgement,
judgement - to the last.metatron