Conversation pt 1 presented by Unknown Speaker – 2025

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Unknown Tuesday Night History Workshop • 2025

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Unknown ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP

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Unknown Unknown Speaker speaking on "Conversation pt 1" in Tuesday Night History Workshop (Unknown Date). This recording is preserved in high-fidelity with interactive scrolling transcripts.

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[00 00:02.819 – 00:00:06.960] Welcome to the Tuesday Night Recovery Speakers History Workshop.

0:16

[00 00:06.960 – 00:00:10.419] Um, thank you everyone for joining us tonight.

0:19

[00 00:10.419 – 00:00:18.600] My name is Tim, and tonight is the last Tuesday of May, so it is our night for a conversation with a long-timer.

0:28

[00 00:18.600 – 00:00:23.140] And tonight we have Gary A.

0:30

[00 00:23.140 – 00:00:25.280] from Durango, Colorado.

0:32

[00 00:25.280 – 00:00:32.079] And Gary's sobriety date is July 13th, 1966.

0:35

[00 00:32.079 – 00:00:37.789] And we meet every Tuesday night at the same time and at the same Zoom ID number.

0:41

[00 00:37.789 – 00:00:47.020] And I do want to share for next month, our conversation with a long-timer, June 24th, is Jimmy D.

0:48

[00 00:47.020 – 00:00:53.159] From Long Island, and Jimmy's sobriety date is July 31st, 1969.

0:52

[00 00:53.159 – 00:00:57.939] And this meeting is being recorded.

0:55

[00 00:57.939 – 00:01:06.000] The audio from tonight's presentation, as well as all of our past presentations, can be found at recoveryspeakers.com.

1:02

[00 01:06.000 – 00:01:16.579] And, uh, this meeting is not affiliated with any 12-step organization, although our goal is to focus on the history

1:09

[00 01:16.579 – 00:01:19.219] of AA and other 12-step fellowships.

1:12

[00 01:19.219 – 00:01:29.459] Recoveryspeakers.com is dedicated to preserving and making the audio history of AA and the 12-step movement available for everyone

1:19

[00 01:29.459 – 00:01:30.959] today and in the future.

1:21

[00 01:30.959 – 00:01:37.879] We share a daily email that features a different speaker talk from the Recovery Speakers audio library.

1:28

[00 01:37.879 – 00:01:48.060] And included in the daily emails are links to the recordings of this meeting, as well as flyers for upcoming presentations.

1:35

[00 01:48.060 – 00:01:58.140] And if you would like to receive our daily email, you can subscribe through the link I will be sharing in the chat in just a moment, or you can send me an

1:47

[00 01:58.140 – 00:02:03.680] email at info@recoveryspeakers.com and I will get you added to our email list.

1:53

[00 02:03.680 – 00:02:09.829] And Recovery Speakers is an official 501[c][3] public charity.

1:57

[00 02:09.829 – 00:02:14.120] If you are able to, we accept contributions which allow us to continue our work.

2:02

[00 02:14.120 – 00:02:23.419] And I have up on the screen a QR code that brings you to our donation page, and I will also be, uh, sending a link in the chat in just a moment.

2:14

[00 02:23.419 – 00:02:28.439] And we greatly appreciate any, uh, support.

2:17

[00 02:28.439 – 00:02:38.500] Um, tonight we should have some time for Q&A at the end of the meeting, so if you have any questions, please write them down and be prepared to ask questions at the end.

2:30

[00 02:38.500 – 00:02:48.800] And one announcement I wanted to share with you all right here, uh, coming up Saturday, June 7th, it is the, uh,

2:38

[00 02:48.800 – 00:02:58.759] 74th Annual Stepping Stones, uh, Lois's Family Groups Picnic, and all the information is on the flyer here that's up on the screen.

2:47

[00 02:58.759 – 00:03:00.989] And there is both a English and Spanish.

2:50

[00 03:00.989 – 00:03:05.219] I will be sharing both of these flyers in the chat for everyone in just a minute.

2:56

[00 03:05.219 – 00:03:08.719] And that is it for me.

2:59

[00 03:08.719 – 00:03:11.539] I am going to go ahead and turn it right over to Penny.

3:04

[00 03:11.539 – 00:03:20.259] And thank you so much for continuing to share these conversations with us, and, uh, looking forward to tonight's.

3:11

[00 03:20.259 – 00:03:22.800] Thanks, Tim.

3:12

[00 03:22.800 – 00:03:23.759] Hi, y'all.

3:13

[00 03:23.759 – 00:03:24.319] I'm Penny P.

3:14

[00 03:24.319 – 00:03:30.280] I'm an alcoholic, and, uh, this is the conversation with a long-timer.

3:19

[00 03:30.280 – 00:03:34.080] All of our long-timers have, uh, 50-plus years of sobriety.

3:23

[00 03:34.080 – 00:03:44.080] And, um, for those of you who may not have been to this meeting before, it, it came about as a result of,

3:31

[00 03:44.080 – 00:03:46.819] um, another meeting here at Recovery Speakers.

3:34

[00 03:46.819 – 00:03:48.759] Um, our friend Nancy K.

3:36

[00 03:48.759 – 00:03:59.939] was doing a talk on, um, AA pioneers, and there were a bunch of questions that people had about our pioneers that nobody could answer with

3:46

[00 03:59.939 – 00:04:00.599] us anymore.

3:47

[00 04:00.599 – 00:04:02.719] And I'm sitting here thinking, "Wait a minute.

3:50

[00 04:02.719 – 00:04:04.439] What about the long-timers we have?

3:53

[00 04:04.439 – 00:04:08.319] Let's talk to them." And so as a result of that, we, uh...

3:58

[00 04:08.319 – 00:04:18.980] I went to Mike and Tim and asked if I could use their Zoom room one, one night a month, I'm not committing to more than that, and, um,

4:08

[00 04:18.980 – 00:04:24.699] and invite long-timers to come and share and, and, uh, have a little conversation with them.

4:14

[00 04:24.699 – 00:04:26.579] It is a little different style.

4:17

[00 04:26.579 – 00:04:29.680] I will be asking them questions.

4:19

[00 04:29.680 – 00:04:39.720] Um, I know that someone was really upset with me one time because I was talking while they were telling their story, and, and, uh, so I needed to explain

4:30

[00 04:39.720 – 00:04:41.379] that's the format for this meeting.

4:33

[00 04:41.379 – 00:04:47.360] So tonight, um, our guest is, uh, Gary A.

4:36

[00 04:47.360 – 00:04:54.240] from, uh, Colorado, with a sobriety date of, uh, July 13th, 1966.

4:41

[00 04:54.240 – 00:05:04.240] And Gary, if you would like to unmute and come in and introduce yourself, give us your name, your home group, your sobriety date, and, uh, and we'll

4:51

[00 05:04.240 – 00:05:04.980] go from there.

4:52

[00 05:04.980 – 00:05:06.720] Yeah.

4:53

[00 05:06.720 – 00:05:07.939] Hi, uh, Gary.

4:55

[00 05:07.939 – 00:05:09.639] I'm powerless over alcohol and drugs.

4:57

[00 05:09.639 – 00:05:15.079] And, um, yeah, my sobriety date's July 13th, 1966.

5:00

[00 05:15.079 – 00:05:25.100] I came in the program March of '66, and, uh, uh, eventually sobered up a few months later, so.

5:07

[00 05:25.100 – 00:05:27.600] Okay.

5:08

[00 05:27.600 – 00:05:32.939] And my group is, uh, Durango Central Group here in, uh, Durango, Colorado.

5:13

[00 05:32.939 – 00:05:34.600] Okie doke.

5:14

[00 05:34.600 – 00:05:36.899] Okay.

5:15

[00 05:36.899 – 00:05:40.120] So you came in in March of '66.

5:18

[00 05:40.120 – 00:05:41.079] That's a good start.

5:20

[00 05:41.079 – 00:05:41.899] Let's start there.

5:21

[00 05:41.899 – 00:05:51.240] What was going on in March of 1966 that you said, "Oh, what the heck, maybe I'll go to Alcoholics Anonymous"?

5:29

[00 05:53.060 – 00:06:01.440] Well, I'd, I'd been on about a week and a half, two-week bender right after my 23rd birthday, and, uh, which was in like February.

5:38

[00 06:01.440 – 00:06:09.021] And I wound up, uh, um, sobering up over in the Don Prison in, uh, Toronto, Canada.

5:44

[00 06:09.021 – 00:06:19.420] Uh, police had pulled me over, so I came back to, uh, Detroit area and, uh, I was confronted with I'd been kiting checks for

5:53

[00 06:19.420 – 00:06:20.341] a couple of weeks.

5:55

[00 06:20.341 – 00:06:28.880] I'd been, um, not going to my National Guard meetings, and my mother was gonna throw me out of the house, and that's what scared me the most.

6:06

[00 06:28.880 – 00:06:33.060] So she insisted I talk to somebody from AA.

6:09

[00 06:33.060 – 00:06:36.841] She'd been telling me for a while that I had a drinking problem, so I did.

6:15

[00 06:36.841 – 00:06:40.040] I talked to a fellow from AA, and I went to a meeting the next night.

6:21

[00 06:40.040 – 00:06:44.841] So, uh, and that started my career in, in AA.

6:25

[00 06:44.841 – 00:06:50.500] Uh, I went to the Wyandotte, uh, group, the Glenwood group.

6:29

[00 06:50.500 – 00:06:52.440] I don't even know if that's still around.

6:33

[00 06:52.440 – 00:06:53.021] It might be.

6:34

[00 06:53.021 – 00:06:57.390] But anyway, I started, I went to my very first meeting at the, uh, Glenwood group.

6:40

[00 06:57.390 – 00:07:07.420] And one of the things that I talk about that, um, why I continued to go to AA is, um, I

6:48

[00 07:07.420 – 00:07:08.581] was late to the meeting.

6:50

[00 07:08.581 – 00:07:13.880] I went to the wrong church, and then I finally wound up, you know, in the right church basement.

6:57

[00 07:13.880 – 00:07:23.680] But, um, I walked in the door and a couple of guys came, you know, saw me, and they came from the tables where they were having their meetings.

7:08

[00 07:23.680 – 00:07:29.571] They came over there and they said, "Hi, I'm glad to see you." And I was wondering, how the hell do you know who I am?

7:17

[00 07:29.571 – 00:07:31.740] You don't even know my name yet.

7:20

[00 07:31.740 – 00:07:40.341] So I experienced, uh, the love of one alcoholic for another, and what I also call communion.

7:26

[00 07:40.341 – 00:07:50.581] Uh, you know, I was raised in a church, and they had communion, but it sure as hell wasn't anything like the kind of communion community and the ability to commune

7:38

[00 07:50.581 – 00:07:53.341] with another individual like I found in AA.

7:41

[00 07:53.341 – 00:08:01.720] So, and I, I, uh, figured AA would teach me how to control my drinking, and AA failed miserably.

7:48

[00 08:01.720 – 00:08:10.920] Uh, it took me four months of continuing to drink, do drugs, go to meetings all the time, uh, even be coffee maker and all that.

7:58

[00 08:10.920 – 00:08:18.640] I hated it because I, I had to leave the bar to go to the meeting to make coffee an hour before the meeting.

8:07

[00 08:18.640 – 00:08:21.620] So AA did disrupt my drinking a little bit.

8:10

[00 08:21.620 – 00:08:26.180] And then finally on July 13th, I, I had my last drink, so.

8:15

[00 08:26.180 – 00:08:30.540] So, um, March of 1966.

8:17

[00 08:30.540 – 00:08:31.310] 1960...

8:17

[00 08:31.310 – 00:08:34.081] I remember 1966 in the...

8:19

[00 08:34.081 – 00:08:36.421] I, I was in the Detroit area at that time.

8:23

[00 08:36.421 – 00:08:39.081] I was, um, a little bit younger than you.

8:26

[00 08:39.081 – 00:08:42.161] Not a whole lot younger than you, but a little bit younger than you.

8:32

[00 08:42.161 – 00:08:49.161] And, um, so what did you know about alcohol?

8:35

[00 08:49.161 – 00:08:52.721] Had someone talked to you about Alcoholics Anonymous before this?

8:39

[00 08:52.721 – 00:09:00.661] Or what did you know about Alcoholics Anonymous before you came to your first meeting then, before you talked to this guy?

8:47

[00 09:00.661 – 00:09:02.161] Did you know anything about AA?

8:50

[00 09:02.161 – 00:09:03.061] No.

8:51

[00 09:03.061 – 00:09:07.100] Other than my mother, you know, kept telling me I had to go to AA.

8:56

[00 09:07.100 – 00:09:08.399] So- Okay.

8:57

[00 09:08.399 – 00:09:09.480] Um- Okay ...

8:58

[00 09:09.480 – 00:09:12.280] and I, I, you know, I was, I was pretty young.

9:03

[00 09:12.280 – 00:09:21.171] And I can't say I was necessarily a daily drinker, but you know, I, I, the, the last few weeks of my drinking it was daily.

9:12

[00 09:21.171 – 00:09:27.821] Prior to that, you know, I, I was pretty much a weekend drinker or, you know, uh, during the week, that sort of thing.

9:21

[00 09:27.821 – 00:09:32.441] I, but every time I drank, pretty much for the most part I couldn't stop.

9:27

[00 09:32.441 – 00:09:33.100] I got drunk.

9:28

[00 09:33.100 – 00:09:36.681] And you got arrested across the river in Windsor?

9:32

[00 09:36.681 – 00:09:37.720] Yeah.

9:33

[00 09:37.720 – 00:09:46.270] Yeah, I was on this week and a half, two-week bender, and, uh, I figured I had to get out of the country- ...

9:41

[00 09:46.270 – 00:09:50.040] before I got caught, you know, for kiting the checks that I was kiting.

9:46

[00 09:50.040 – 00:10:00.120] And, uh, uh, I got pulled over in Toronto and, uh, put in the Don Prison for a week for, uh, essentially driv- driving under the influence or something

9:57

[00 10:00.120 – 00:10:00.661] like that.

9:58

[00 10:00.661 – 00:10:02.020] Boy, if you're gonna get- I don't know what I was gonna do ...

10:03

[00 10:02.020 – 00:10:04.120] if you're gonna get drunk, let's go to Toronto.

10:07

[00 10:04.120 – 00:10:05.800] What a great city to get drunk in.

10:10

[00 10:05.800 – 00:10:07.221] I got drunk in Toronto.

10:12

[00 10:07.221 – 00:10:11.500] I usually just went across the r- I didn't get drunk in Toronto.

10:17

[00 10:11.500 – 00:10:13.211] I got arrested in Toronto.

10:19

[00 10:13.211 – 00:10:21.250] I usually just went across the river to Windsor to drink because I could get served there, and I couldn't always- Right ...

10:27

[00 10:21.250 – 00:10:22.671] get served at home.

10:29

[00 10:22.671 – 00:10:22.941] Right.

10:30

[00 10:22.941 – 00:10:24.260] Exactly.

10:30

[00 10:24.260 – 00:10:24.780] Yeah.

10:31

[00 10:24.780 – 00:10:35.480] So, so you came to your first meeting, and I wanna, I wanna touch on something that you said when you talked about getting to your first meeting, 'cause my experience

10:42

[00 10:35.480 – 00:10:42.380] is kind of, it's kind of unique to the Detroit area, the, the Michigan area.

10:48

[00 10:42.380 – 00:10:45.451] You said the guys got up from one of the tables.

10:52

[00 10:45.451 – 00:10:46.081] Yeah.

10:53

[00 10:46.081 – 00:10:50.380] And the m- the meetings in Michigan have table meetings.

10:57

[00 10:50.380 – 00:10:51.060] Right.

10:58

[00 10:51.060 – 00:10:55.961] And, and I've, I've not run into those in a whole lot of other places.

11:03

[00 10:55.961 – 00:11:01.661] Would you share about what, how that's set up for the meetings in Mich- in the Detroit area?

11:10

[00 11:01.661 – 00:11:03.800] Yeah.

11:11

[00 11:03.800 – 00:11:11.060] Uh, the, the Glenwood group in particular, that church basement had dividers.

11:15

[00 11:11.060 – 00:11:21.100] So we would have, uh, tables where there would be 10 or 12 people that sat at a table, and a chairperson would, uh, chair the

11:24

[00 11:21.100 – 00:11:22.280] meeting for that table.

11:26

[00 11:22.280 – 00:11:32.380] And uh, depending on how big the meeting was, and that was a larger group, it was probably easily, um, 40 people,

11:34

[00 11:32.380 – 00:11:34.560] so figure about four tables.

11:36

[00 11:34.560 – 00:11:38.461] And, um, that's how we would have our meeting.

11:40

[00 11:38.461 – 00:11:42.480] At the end of the meeting, everybody get up and then, you know, say the Lord's Prayer at the end.

11:47

[00 11:42.480 – 00:11:42.841] So

11:48

[00 11:43.457 – 00:11:50.077] Yeah So you really didn't know what was going on at the other tables, uh, or what the topic was or what they were talking about, so.

11:58

[00 11:50.077 – 00:11:55.018] And I always said the other tables always sounded like they were having more fun.

12:03

[00 11:55.018 – 00:11:56.067] I always wind up- ...

12:05

[00 11:56.067 – 00:11:59.918] sitting at the wrong tables when I go to meetings in the Detroit area.

12:11

[00 11:59.918 – 00:12:00.617] Yeah.

12:11

[00 12:00.617 – 00:12:04.957] And there's, there's usually a first step table, a newcomers table.

12:15

[00 12:04.957 – 00:12:05.607] Yep.

12:16

[00 12:05.607 – 00:12:08.398] And there's usually a men's table and a women's table.

12:20

[00 12:08.398 – 00:12:12.937] And, uh, and then, and then a step table.

12:24

[00 12:12.937 – 00:12:14.737] There's, there's almost always...

12:25

[00 12:14.737 – 00:12:18.758] You, what is the, what's the, the little folder thing that the...

12:30

[00 12:18.758 – 00:12:24.677] Is it called the Table Mate, or what is it called, the Detroit pamphlet that talks about the steps?

12:37

[00 12:24.677 – 00:12:28.937] You know- Oh, I don't, I don't recall that, what, what that was.

12:42

[00 12:28.937 – 00:12:31.826] I, I was more downriver, you know.

12:45

[00 12:31.826 – 00:12:32.506] Uh- Okay ...

12:46

[00 12:32.506 – 00:12:35.937] Wyandotte, Flat Rock, Monroe, um- Okay.

12:48

[00 12:35.937 – 00:12:38.077] Yeah, further south than me.

12:51

[00 12:38.077 – 00:12:39.057] Right.

12:51

[00 12:39.057 – 00:12:39.597] Right.

12:52

[00 12:39.597 – 00:12:46.567] And you know, I, I would go to meetings in the city, um, uh, on occasion.

12:58

[00 12:46.567 – 00:12:56.778] And then, um, we finally started a young people's group, uh, after a couple years, and that was, uh, you know, right downtown Detroit, and that was a

13:08

[00 12:56.778 – 00:12:58.148] Saturday evening meeting.

13:10

[00 12:58.148 – 00:13:00.217] But that was just one big group discussion.

13:13

[00 13:00.217 – 00:13:01.877] Okay.

13:14

[00 13:01.877 – 00:13:05.298] So yeah, 'cause you were very young when you got sober.

13:18

[00 13:05.298 – 00:13:07.677] Were you the youngest one in the room when you came in?

13:23

[00 13:07.677 – 00:13:10.317] Oh, yeah, definitely.

13:24

[00 13:10.317 – 00:13:15.617] The closest guy in age, um, was 36 years old to me.

13:28

[00 13:15.617 – 00:13:17.758] So, uh, yeah.

13:30

[00 13:17.758 – 00:13:18.738] But there were- That's- ...

13:31

[00 13:18.738 – 00:13:21.107] a lot of old timers there too, so.

13:35

[00 13:21.107 – 00:13:21.596] Yeah.

13:35

[00 13:21.596 – 00:13:24.057] It's funny to think of that now, isn't it?

13:39

[00 13:24.057 – 00:13:25.238] That we were- You're right ...

13:41

[00 13:25.238 – 00:13:28.217] that we were so young when we got here.

13:45

[00 13:28.217 – 00:13:31.317] So- Yeah, I think they took bets on me whether I'd make it or not.

13:50

[00 13:31.317 – 00:13:36.138] Well, yeah, and, and you come in in March, and you're not getting sober till July.

13:56

[00 13:36.138 – 00:13:37.847] So there's- Right ...

13:58

[00 13:37.847 – 00:13:40.177] some folks thinking that they're gonna get a payout.

14:01

[00 13:40.177 – 00:13:48.298] So you said you didn't like to be the coffee maker 'cause you had to leave the bar, so you were Exactly.

14:09

[00 13:48.298 – 00:13:50.557] Okay.

14:10

[00 13:50.557 – 00:13:51.807] Yep.

14:11

[00 13:51.807 – 00:13:55.398] And, uh, so then in July, you finally get sober.

14:15

[00 13:55.398 – 00:14:04.627] Was there anything that you can identify that, that happened, or was it just, uh, you know, "I'm just tired of this," or what was it that happened that was different for you?

14:27

[00 14:04.627 – 00:14:11.038] Well, yeah, I was resistant to the spiritual, um, premise of the AA program.

14:32

[00 14:11.038 – 00:14:12.817] I didn't wanna have anything to do with that.

14:36

[00 14:12.817 – 00:14:17.918] And, um, and I, I, like I say, I felt I was too young.

14:41

[00 14:17.918 – 00:14:20.317] I could probably still control it.

14:44

[00 14:20.317 – 00:14:22.326] Maybe I'd learn something, you know, in AA.

14:47

[00 14:22.326 – 00:14:31.837] And, uh, and actually the, the, the last day or my la- I woke up in my car.

14:53

[00 14:31.837 – 00:14:40.957] I'd been across the river over in Amherstburg, Canada, the night before and drinking, and, uh, then I re- I woke up back stateside.

15:02

[00 14:40.957 – 00:14:44.077] I lived on an island down in the Detroit River.

15:06

[00 14:44.077 – 00:14:51.317] And, uh, I woke up in my car parked next to, uh, um, my local drinking haunt.

15:13

[00 14:51.317 – 00:14:59.837] And, uh, uh, all I could see on the wall was this image of life sober, death drunk, life sober, death drunk.

15:21

[00 14:59.837 – 00:15:03.998] And, uh, I just couldn't make a choice between the two.

15:25

[00 15:03.998 – 00:15:09.258] You know, it wasn't a matter of, uh, of, you know, choosing between the two.

15:31

[00 15:09.258 – 00:15:12.498] It was a matter of accepting that reality, that fact.

15:35

[00 15:12.498 – 00:15:12.687] Mm-hmm.

15:35

[00 15:12.687 – 00:15:15.518] You know, it's, it's either one of two ways.

15:39

[00 15:15.518 – 00:15:22.018] Um, and both those things, you know, continue to exist in, to, in my life today.

15:45

[00 15:22.018 – 00:15:23.437] Life sober or death drunk.

15:47

[00 15:23.437 – 00:15:26.498] Um, that's just the way it works for me.

15:51

[00 15:26.498 – 00:15:34.918] And I, I, I went in the bar, and, uh, I ordered a beer, and I s- took a drink, and it tasted like water.

16:00

[00 15:34.918 – 00:15:40.577] And I did something I rarely ever have done, was I got up and left, you know?

16:06

[00 15:40.577 – 00:15:41.067] Mm-hmm.

16:07

[00 15:41.067 – 00:15:43.857] And I like to think that beer is still there waiting for me.

16:12

[00 15:43.857 – 00:15:45.477] You know, I haven't finished drinking yet.

16:15

[00 15:45.477 – 00:15:47.738] Yeah.

16:15

[00 15:47.738 – 00:15:49.337] But I'm not gonna start today.

16:18

[00 15:49.337 – 00:15:58.957] So you, um, you're going to this meeting in, um, in Wyandotte, the, uh, Glenwood Group.

16:24

[00 15:58.957 – 00:15:59.538] Right.

16:25

[00 15:59.538 – 00:16:01.498] And, um, do you...

16:26

[00 16:01.498 – 00:16:05.677] How many meetings a week did they have at the Glenwood Group?

16:31

[00 16:05.677 – 00:16:09.978] Was it one of those places that had a meeting every night, or- No, no.

16:37

[00 16:09.978 – 00:16:11.758] Okay One, one meeting, Wednesday.

16:39

[00 16:11.758 – 00:16:17.038] And then Flat Rock, I think we had a meeting on Tu- down in a church there.

16:45

[00 16:17.038 – 00:16:23.457] I think we had two meetings a week there, a Friday and a, um, a Tuesday.

16:51

[00 16:23.457 – 00:16:30.377] And then Monroe, we had, uh, you know, a few, few meetings down in that area, too, so.

16:58

[00 16:30.377 – 00:16:30.778] Yeah.

16:59

[00 16:30.778 – 00:16:36.197] So did, um, did you get a sponsor right away?

17:03

[00 16:36.197 – 00:16:38.097] Did they talk to you about sponsorship?

17:06

[00 16:38.097 – 00:16:38.807] Well- Talk to you about the steps?

17:08

[00 16:38.807 – 00:16:43.298] Yeah, the guy that 12 stepped me, Rip, wound up being my sponsor.

17:13

[00 16:43.298 – 00:16:46.038] And actually I kinda bounced around.

17:15

[00 16:46.038 – 00:16:51.937] There were a couple of, two, three guys that I, I sort of spread myself around with those guys.

17:23

[00 16:51.937 – 00:16:55.437] Um, but Rip primarily was my sponsor.

17:25

[00 16:55.437 – 00:17:05.438] And, um, uh, I, I, uh, I, I did, you know, my inventory and that

17:31

[00 17:05.438 – 00:17:07.447] with him and, and shared- Yeah ...

17:34

[00 17:07.447 – 00:17:16.918] but there were other fellas in the program that, uh, that I felt comfortable with and that I, I shared a lot of my experience with, too.

17:44

[00 17:16.918 – 00:17:23.038] So did they, did Rip take you through the steps using the Big Book?

17:49

[00 17:23.038 – 00:17:31.177] The 12 and 12 was just, what, 13 years old at that point, so it was accepted literature by that point.

17:56

[00 17:31.177 – 00:17:32.188] How did you- Yeah, Rip- ...

17:58

[00 17:32.188 – 00:17:33.447] go through, how did he take you through the steps?

18:02

[00 17:33.447 – 00:17:34.557] No, we didn't do it that way

18:04

[00 17:35.118 – 00:17:44.499] Uh, I mean, he-- we would have times where we got together and that, but primarily it was getting me to do, you know, an inventory and that, and then sharing it, so.

18:17

[00 17:44.499 – 00:17:45.278] Okay.

18:17

[00 17:45.278 – 00:17:46.898] There wasn't, uh...

18:19

[00 17:46.898 – 00:17:50.499] I, I don't wanna say we used that format.

18:22

[00 17:50.499 – 00:17:52.979] I, I didn't use that format, I'll put it that way.

18:26

[00 17:52.979 – 00:17:57.038] I made a list and I, I had, you know, names of people.

18:31

[00 17:57.038 – 00:18:06.178] I had, you know, what, what the problem was, the offense or however, and, and how it affected me, you know, and all that sort of thing.

18:41

[00 18:06.178 – 00:18:08.398] So, you know, from my viewpoints.

18:44

[00 18:08.398 – 00:18:09.928] Mm-hmm.

18:45

[00 18:09.928 – 00:18:15.838] And then what kind of, uh, service commitments did you wind up having other than being the coffee maker?

18:52

[00 18:15.838 – 00:18:19.739] Well, I would, I would chair meetings.

18:55

[00 18:19.739 – 00:18:26.658] I, um, I never did any, uh, district, um, type stuff or anything like that.

19:00

[00 18:26.658 – 00:18:36.858] Um, and I didn't get involved in that until I moved into the Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti area and, and then I, I was a district, uh,

19:10

[00 18:36.858 – 00:18:39.077] rep there for a while and that.

19:13

[00 18:39.077 – 00:18:43.358] When did you move to, uh, Ann Arbor Ypsi?

19:16

[00 18:43.358 – 00:18:46.858] Um, in 19...

19:17

[00 18:46.858 – 00:18:48.828] Oh, 1970.

19:18

[00 18:48.828 – 00:18:51.269] So about four years sober.

19:20

[00 18:51.269 – 00:18:53.338] 1971, something like that, yeah.

19:22

[00 18:53.338 – 00:18:54.598] Okay.

19:23

[00 18:54.598 – 00:19:04.778] And, um, and what kind-- And so but before that, it-- you were chairing meetings, you were being of service at your group.

19:31

[00 19:04.778 – 00:19:05.078] Right.

19:32

[00 19:05.078 – 00:19:06.759] And- And I would do 12-step work.

19:35

[00 19:06.759 – 00:19:10.058] So- 'Cause back then, you know, that was pretty much...

19:39

[00 19:10.058 – 00:19:20.239] I mean, you'd, you'd-- people would call into the AA hotline, and a couple of us would go out and, you know, go pick up a guy and talk to him about the program

19:51

[00 19:20.239 – 00:19:22.898] and that, encourage him to come to a meeting, so.

19:55

[00 19:22.898 – 00:19:29.558] And did, did any of the guys that you went out and talked with, did they stay sober?

20:02

[00 19:29.558 – 00:19:32.318] Um, oh, yeah.

20:03

[00 19:32.318 – 00:19:32.759] That you remember?

20:04

[00 19:32.759 – 00:19:42.838] Yeah, I think the success rate back then in the program was, you know, we used that, uh, 50%, you know, stay sober right after the

20:14

[00 19:42.838 – 00:19:48.378] first time they ever went to a meeting or get 12-stepped and, and then 25% go out and drink again.

20:21

[00 19:48.378 – 00:19:56.207] But, you know, that 25% eventually sobers up, and then the other 25% just don't seem to be able to make it sober.

20:29

[00 19:56.207 – 00:19:56.249] Mm-hmm.

20:29

[00 19:56.249 – 00:20:01.198] I don't know that those statistics ring true today.

20:33

[00 20:01.198 – 00:20:04.838] I think they're probably a little lower in terms of success rate.

20:37

[00 20:04.838 – 00:20:09.469] But, you know, back then, there weren't that many people in the program.

20:42

[00 20:09.469 – 00:20:19.658] When I came in, um, uh, I think cen- central office had just, uh, had-- we had

20:49

[00 20:19.658 – 00:20:22.999] 250,000 people in AA worldwide.

20:51

[00 20:22.999 – 00:20:34.878] So, um, and I think it was the next year, '67 or something, they said, "Oh, it jumped up to 325,000 or something worldwide." So

20:59

[00 20:34.878 – 00:20:42.798] six- 1966, you got sober on the second edition of the Big Book, and, um- Right.

21:05

[00 20:42.798 – 00:20:50.658] Okay, because the third edition came out in '76, and then the fourth in 2001.

21:11

[00 20:50.658 – 00:21:00.749] Um, so talk about-- would you be willing to talk about, can you remember a couple of those 12-step calls you went out on, and,

21:20

[00 21:00.749 – 00:21:04.568] and, um, who went with you and, and what it was like?

21:24

[00 21:04.568 – 00:21:10.038] 'Cause there's people who have-- There's people on this meeting who've never been on a 12-step call like that.

21:31

[00 21:10.038 – 00:21:11.298] Oh, really?

21:33

[00 21:11.298 – 00:21:15.178] So, um, yeah.

21:34

[00 21:15.178 – 00:21:19.338] Normally, you know, we would, we would-- it would be two of us.

21:39

[00 21:19.338 – 00:21:22.798] Um, we'd go out, and it would normally be, you know, a man.

21:44

[00 21:22.798 – 00:21:32.719] Um, it wasn't unusual to occasionally, you know, do a 12-step call of someone of the opposite sex if there wasn't anybody else available.

21:53

[00 21:32.719 – 00:21:38.138] So, um, uh, but that was, that was fairly rare.

21:57

[00 21:38.138 – 00:21:48.138] And, um, as far as people, um, staying sober, I think it, you know, for the people that, that we

22:04

[00 21:48.138 – 00:21:55.918] 12-stepped, um, the, the, uh, it pretty well stuck to the statistics that I had mentioned earlier.

22:11

[00 21:55.918 – 00:22:00.678] Did you-- Now I know that Dr.

22:13

[00 22:00.678 – 00:22:04.878] Bob was, of course, already gone by the time you got sober, but- Right ...

22:19

[00 22:04.878 – 00:22:14.178] we, we have one of the birthplaces, one of the important birthplaces of Alcoholics Anonymous not that far south of you if you're down- Right ...

22:28

[00 22:14.178 – 00:22:15.699] in the Monroe area.

22:30

[00 22:15.699 – 00:22:20.239] Did you guys go down to Akron for, um, any activities?

22:34

[00 22:20.239 – 00:22:22.098] Did you interact with Akron at all?

22:37

[00 22:22.098 – 00:22:26.998] I know that the house hadn't been s-- hadn't been purchased at that time.

22:42

[00 22:26.998 – 00:22:32.558] Oh, looks like you froze up.

22:45

[00 22:32.558 – 00:22:47.078] Gonna

22:45

[00 22:47.078 – 00:22:50.478] see if Gary can come back online.

22:48

[00 22:50.478 – 00:23:01.858] This

22:49

[00 23:01.858 – 00:23:04.378] is the wonders of technology, folks.

22:51

[00 23:04.378 – 00:23:14.378] Yeah, Gary, I'm not sure if

22:54

[00 23:14.378 – 00:23:18.338] you can hear us, but maybe you wanna sign out and then sign back in

The following is an AI-generated transcript. Minor errors may occur. The audio is the authoritative source.

Conversation pt 1 presented by Unknown Speaker – 2025

Conversation pt 1 presented by Unknown Speaker – 2025

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