Why the Big Book Is Absolute Truth – Don C.

About This Speaker Tape

Winter Gathering - 2002

Don C. maps out a life of high-stakes wreckage and hard-won sobriety stretching back to 1961. He traces a path from a dishonorable discharge and a stint in a federal penitentiary to the glitz of Hollywood where he worked as a high-end hairdresser for movie stars. He dismantles the illusion of the 'functioning' alcoholic describing his own descent into liver failure and a coma at Rosary Hall under the stern gaze of Sister I. Don C. doesn't sugarcoat the cost of his addiction: the loss of eight beauty salons a home and the heartbreaking death of his son to a brain tumor. He makes his case for total surrender and rigorous action arguing that willingness without work is a fantasy. His narrative moves from the 'sipping and dipping' of his youth to the grit of the trenches ending with a plea for gratitude and immediate amends to living parents.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Don C. introduces himself and his sobriety date of March 31, 1961.
• 2:45 Laughter: Don C. tells a joke about a genie and the difficulty of understanding women.
• 5:10 Don C. discusses 'contempt prior to investigation' and the importance of the Big Book.
• 12:30 Don C. recounts his Army experience, a dishonorable discharge, and time in Leavenworth.
• 22:15 Don C. describes his career as a hairdresser in Hollywood and the ego that accompanied his success.
• 35:40 Don C. discusses the 'mellowing out' effect of alcohol and the loss of conscience and dignity.
• 48:10 Don't physical collapse and his admission to Rosary Hall under Sister I.
• 55:20 Don't experience with the 4th Step inventory and the role of a sponsor.
• 64:15 Raw and Emotional: Don C. speaks about the death of his son and the necessity of making amends to living parents.
• 72:00 Don C. closes with a reflection on the power of action and the 'Member's Eye View' pamphlet.