Cecil C. on Working the Steps in Sequence and the Danger of Ego

About This Speaker Tape

A poker game, a 275-pound man, and a face full of cement. Cecil C. didn't enter the rooms through a door; he entered through a hospital bed after being beaten senseless in a bar. An arrogant drunk who ran away from discipline by joining the army and navy, Cecil describes his life as a series of "big shot-ism" and rebelliousness, characterized by a "rat race" of debts and a total lack of accountability. He admits to being a "negative thinker," a man who lived in a circle of his own making while his life was totaled around him.

The turning point came not from a feeling, but from a group decision to work the steps in sequence. Cecil warns against "cafeteria style" recovery, detailing how he had to face the wreckage of $6,200 in debts and the ego that made him throw plates in the sink. By surrendering to a Higher Power and following the sequence, he moved from being a "hole in a donut" to a man who no longer has to gamble to feel alive.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Cecil C. opens with jokes about the conference committee and a story about a wife's jewelry and golf clubs.
• 10:15 Cecil C. describes his rebellious youth, running into the army at 16 to escape discipline.
• 18:40 The 'bottom': A poker game fight that leaves Cecil C. beaten on the cement.
• 23:10 Meeting Bill and Earl in the hospital; the impact of their appearance and sobriety.
• 30:45 Laughter: The joke about the three alcoholic rabbits and the 'one foot in the grave' punchline.
• 36:20 Discussion of Ernie S. and the commitment to working the 12 Steps in sequence.
• 42:10 Step 1 and 4: Facing the $6,200 debt and the 'big shot-ism' behind financial ruin.
• 51:30 Step 7: The story of Shy W. and getting on one's knees to pray.
• 58:15 Step 10: The fall from grace after being fired from the ladies' wear store.
• 1:05:20 Step 11: The importance of morning reading and the 'argument with a man 1300 miles away'.
• 1:12:40 Step 12: Reflections on his grandchildren and the ability to finally give and receive love.
• 1:20:15 Closing story about unity and the army sergeant searching the wheat field.