The Pilot Who Was Lost but Making Da*n Good Time – Joseph M.

About This Speaker Tape

A Catholic priest's descent into the bottle was a quiet gradual slide—not a lurid tale but a slow erosion of the soul. For ten years he lived a double life hiding empty bottles in suitcases and burying them in the hills of the Santa Clara Valley while wearing his black cassock. The wreckage wasn't a sudden crash but a persistent shaking fear and a prostitution of the mind through constant lying.

His turning point came at Guest House in Detroit where he met Austin R. Rip R. stripped away his academic pride telling him to leave his brains at the door and rely on burning desire.

Through the 12 Steps he moved from the terror of isolation to a sweet dependence on others discovering that the only way to stay sober is to stop trying to fight the bottle alone and instead accept the humility of being a broken human being.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:45 The speaker identifies as an alcoholic and discusses the gradual nature of his drinking.
• 4:15 Laughter: Story about burying empty bottles in suitcases while wearing a cassock.
• 8:30 The internal terror and shaking that accompanied his drinking and the fear of his superiors.
• 13:15 The 'prostitution of the mind': the pain of lying to Father M.
• 18:40 Arrival at Guest House and the 'verbal photograph' of the alcoholic's paradox.
• 22:10 Meeting Austin R. and the importance of sponsorship.
• 27:50 Discussion of Step 1: Powerlessness and the 'filter' that is busted.
• 33:10 The 'insanity' of the alcoholic and the concept of a Higher Power.
• 38:20 The analogy of the Alitalia pilot and the centipede to illustrate preparation before execution.
• 44:15 The difficulty of the Fifth Step and the path to humility through humiliation.
• 50:10 The story of Austin R.'s amends to the staff at Look Magazine.
• 57:45 Applause: The speaker celebrates his 69th birthday with the audience.