Into Action and the List of Why He Was a Dirty Rotten SOB – John S.

About This Speaker Tape

December 18th in a basement. That is where the fog lifted, and John S. woke up to the wreckage of a life spent as a "dirty rotten SOB." A cattle rancher with a "secret weapon"—the gray matter between his ears that functioned as a "great liar"—John describes a world of Montana extremes: the Northern Hotel for the bankers and the Keg Bar for the losers. He fit in both. He recalls the absurdity of passing out in a new banker's lap after a drunken argument over sheep, and the darkness of wanting to take his wife and children with him into the void.

He was a man who could fly a helicopter, smoke, and drink a beer simultaneously, convinced he was doing just fine until a feed salesman named Frank refused to drink "for today." After flunking a "trap" of 20 questions, John entered a world of eccentric sponsors, "honey-syrup" concoctions to kill the shakes, and a Higher Power he initially resisted. He learned the hard way that quitting drinking wasn't the same as sobriety.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 John S. introduces himself and mentions his sobriety date of December 19, 1982.
• 2:15 Story about the Northern Hotel and the 'keg bar' where the losers went.
• 4:30 Laughter: The story of the argument over sheep and passing out on the banker.
• 8:10 John describes the 'great liar' between his ears and the nature of alcoholic thinking.
• 12:45 The dark turning point: admitting to thoughts of murder-suicide and the realization that he was 'twisting off'.
• 16:20 Mention of flying a helicopter while drinking and smoking.
• 20:15 Frank the feed salesman introduces the idea of Alcoholics Anonymous.
• 24:30 The '20 Questions' test and the 'trap' to get people into meetings.
• 28:50 First meeting experience and the introduction of his first sponsor, Johnny.
• 33:10 Description of the 'weird' home group and the character of 'Rotten Ralph'.
• 38:40 The conflict with Nick and the moment of surrender after being pushed against a wall.
• 45:10 Discussion on the physical allergy to alcohol and the 'time bomb' in the mind.
• 52:20 The 'carrot' method: Richard's advice on how to repair his marriage with Cindy S. through service.