Horse Thief?

There’s a saying in the rooms about when a horse thief gets sober what you have left is a sober horse thief.  That’s certainly true here in Puerto Vallarta. 

At a 12-step meeting here a local shared about driving through the mountains when he had to stop to remove a small tree blocking the roadway. As he started to pull on the tree, three men with pistols surrounded him.

They took his suitcases, camera and other belongings from his car. Next were his wallet, watch and rings. Then one of the gunmen noticed a medallion on a gold chain around his neck.

            “Give me that,” the robber said, waving the pistol in his face.

            “I really don’t want to give it up,” he replied. “It has a lot of sentimental value.”

            “What do you mean?” the robber asked impatiently.

            “Well, this medallion was given to me by my sponsor when I had twenty years’ sober. I really don’t want to give it up.”

            “You’re in the program?” The robber asked in surprise.  

When he said he was, the robber shook his hand, saying. “It’s nice to meet you.  I just picked up a five year chip myself.”

The robbers let him keep the medallion, but took everything else.