The Six Month Deal for Newcomers – Barney M.

About This Speaker Tape

Woodland Hills, a looming divorce, and $100,000 in debt. Barney M. arrived at the Pacific Group not for sobriety, but to trick his wife into dropping the divorce papers. A successful man in radio and television, he viewed himself as a "poor kid from the south side of Chicago who made it," convinced he only needed a "six month deal" to organize his wreckage before returning to the bottle. He describes himself as a "moral leper"—a corrupt SOB who enjoyed his sins—and a "frightened little weasel" hiding behind expensive cars and makeup.

He learned the hard way that thinking is the enemy; one must act their way to better thinking. After years of arrogance, a breakdown on a beach in La Jolla forced a surrender. By mopping floors, washing coffee cups, and eventually accepting a Higher Power as a father, Barney found a life that works, even if it means losing half his income to keep his ego in check.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Barney M. discusses the isolation of staying sober in rural West Virginia.
• 4:30 Barney M. describes his career in radio/TV and his initial 'wrong motivations' for joining AA.
• 8:15 The paradox of thinking: Barney M. argues that 'thinking is the enemy' and one must act their way to better thinking.
• 12:40 Barney M. discusses his 'moral leprosy' and the internal void that money and cars couldn't fill.
• 17:20 Laughter: Story about chasing Carol around meetings and the 'misunderstanding' of having six children.
• 23:10 Barney M. recounts his emotional breakdown on a beach in La Jolla and his eventual surrender.
• 27:45 Mention of the Third Step Prayer and the advice to 'fake it' like mopping floors.
• 32:10 Barney M. reflects on his relationship with his children and his Higher Power as a father-son dynamic.
• 36:40 Barney M. describes his dog, Bill W., and the peace of his retired life in West Virginia.
• 41:15 Applause: Transition to the birthday cakes and the celebration of long-term sobriety.