I accidentally stumbled into one of their meetings the other day. They were a fraternity of sorts, an assortment of folk from various walks of life. What slightly-hardened countenances only hinted at, conversations and attitudes confirmed. They were The Fraternal Order of Losers.
One exchange between two of them went this way:
"Hey, Bob! How ya doin'?"
"Bill! Great to see ya! Been a long time. Where'd we meet last?"
"Yell County jail I believe. But your hair was lots longer then."
"Yeah, that's right! I got it cut off. How long was ya in for?"
"A year. How 'bout you?"
"Yeah, me too. A year."
"Anything new goin' on?"
"Nah. Same ol' stuff. You?"
"Same here. Not much goin' on."
And so the friendly banter between them went. Slapping backs and shaking hands and smiling, two pals were matched up again in joyous reunion. The Fraternal Order of Losers was back in session, this time in a courtroom. These two "brothers" of the Order had been found guilty… again.
But not everybody in the room wanted to be a part of their fraternity. The judge spoke in a fatherly tone to one young man, a first-time offender.
"Is this your first time here, son?"
"Yes, sir. And I hope it's my last."
"Good. I don't want to see you again."
"Don't worry. You won't."
Though guilty as charged, the young man left with resolve never to return, never to join the Fraternal Order of Losers.
Not so with the other two. They'll be back again and again, infusing life into the Order. They're losers, but not because of their mistakes in life. Even their wrong deeds–or their jail time for that matter–do not make them losers.
They are losers because they have not learned from mistakes, either theirs or others'. They are losers because they show no remorse or regret for their misdeeds. They are losers because they continue to make poor choices in friends. As one proverb says, "He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm."
But it need not stay that way. With the same resolve of the young man, they can walk into a better future… and leave the Fraternal Order of Losers in the past. They must decide.
Copyright 2000 James McAlister
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