I was raised a country boy and spent time in the big cities in the summer. Drinking freely wherever I was. In those days I didn’t know if I needed alcoholic help or not. For a young kid I was bad drinker, but not in trouble. I was 16, living and working at a motel as a maintenance man and going to school. Some where around 16 and a half I moved to California and where I needed alcoholic help to start.

I was in and out of jail on 1 night stands 2 times a week. Back then they just cut the drunks loose at 6:00 am . I would walk home, shower and shave, go to sleep, get up and work a night shift as a welder. I'd get off and go get drunk , party and fight. This alcoholic drinking went on until the court system said it was time for prison.

By them I had  more charges then I could count. My dad and grand parents were pulling their hair out  trying to help me and I was not able to help my self. Well, the next part was easy....the judge sent me to prison.  Part of my stay was for alcoholic help. I went to AA classes and was so full of pride and will power I didn't hear any thing. I went for the coffee. I did meet 1 friend that was there for me when I got out. He went for the alcoholic help in jail and all I had was hope he had made it. That would be April 1976 at RCCC. My hat is off to him. 20 years later some of what he said came back to me, his name was Billy D in Sacramento, CA.

I wish I could say I sobered up then but I went on drinking for another 10 years in a number of states in the USA. Around 1986 I was in the southern part of  Missouri in the Ozark mountains where I went for alcoholic help 1 more time.  I could not think where to ask for alcoholic help so we called a hospital in Springfield. Missouri. I was put into a mental unit. After 5 days I was told by the doctor I could not be an alcoholic because I was only 28 and in good health.  I did ask to stay long enough to go to 1 alcoholic anonymous meeting. I did not get alcoholic help at that hospital.

I did how ever go to a number of alcoholic anonymous meetings and stayed sober for maybe 25 days. I found the Tri-Lakes for the first time.

It went on until Jan 7 1996. I woke up from another black out like most every morning with my ex wife screaming at me telling me what all I had done the night before.  It was just another day, just like the rest, but what was the difference on that day. Some how my eyes were open, what was going on. Could this be real?

I did not know this was the beginning of step 1.  I made the this time to get alcoholic help this time.