“Leo Told Me to Go Drink Arsenic and Stop Bragging” – Jim P.
About This Speaker Tape
Jim P. speaks at the Central Orlando Alco-An Club on October 17, 2009 — exactly 11 years from the day he first walked into AA, and one year to the day his younger brother died in a coma from alcoholism. His sobriety date is February 18, 2002.
Jim traces his alcoholism from a military family — father an Air Force hero, neither parent alcoholic, but both grandfathers died from it. At 11 he guzzled champagne at his sister's wedding fountain and felt everything change inside. By 18 he was on PCP and alcohol, in a standoff with police, and sentenced to 52 years. In solitary confinement with only a Bible, he prayed and had his sentence reduced to 18 months on a chain gang.
Old man Leo became his first rough sponsor at Central Orlando: Leo told him to stay in the big room with the newcomers, not the little room with old-timers. Leo said he would tell Jim when he could go back to the other room — and then Leo died. Jim never went back.
After four and a half years of relapsing under a sick sponsor, Jim met Joe at a speaker meeting. They exchanged business cards and discovered they worked for the same company — Jim took this as Higher Power confirming the match. Joe worked him through the steps at a barbecue joint. Jim emphasizes that one alcoholic talking to another alcoholic is all this program is, that the Big Book was written by drunks for drunks, and that he is responsible to have his hand out when the next alcoholic reaches for help.
Discussion
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