I've been led to this story......

[DayTrader]

"He Sold Himself Short"

http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org..../pioneers8.pdf

....I've not read 99.9% of the stories in the book but have been led to this one. (p 258 in the 4th Edition Big Book). I haven't even read it yet (the BB that I took to the retreat I was at this weekend doesn't have any of the stories in it) but I thought I'd share it here as well.

A little history on Earl Treat

He was indoctrinated by eight or nine men, after which he was allowed to attend his first meeting, which was led by Bill Dotson ("A.A. Number Three"). There were eight or nine alcoholics at the meeting and seven or eight wives. There was no Big Book yet and no literature except various religious pamphlets. The meeting lasted an hour and closed with the Lord's Prayer. Then they had coffee and doughnuts and more discussion until the small hours of the morning.

He stayed in Akron two or three weeks and spent a lot of time with Dr. Bob, who took him through the steps in one afternoon. Dr. Bob helped with the moral inventory by pointing out some of his bad personality traits or character defects. Earl wished every alcoholic could have the benefit of this type of sponsorship today.

He returned to Chicago in 1937 to start A.A. there. He got angry and got drunk when his wife criticized his coffee drinking and smoking. (Earl is the heavy smoker and coffee drinker mentioned on page 135 in "The Family Afterwards.") When he slipped he realized that the alcoholic has to continue to take his own inventory every day if he expects to get well and stay well.

[2granddaughters]

That's why I went to my Home Group meeting this morning and hang out with alkies... to get "indoctrinated".

My buddies years ago told me that AA would brainwash me..... I said "I hope so, my brain needs washing".

All the best DT

Bob R

[mick3580]

My brain needs washing too!!!

[Boleo]

Originally Posted by DayTrader

There was no Big Book yet and no literature except various religious pamphlets.

He stayed in Akron two or three weeks and spent a lot of time with Dr. Bob, who took him through the steps in one afternoon.

The part I remember form this story is that the 6 Oxford Group Tenants (sounds more like ten to me LOL) were still being used at that time and Dr Bob took Earl through them in a single day. Just goes to show ya;

1. We don't have to do all 12 steps to get "recovered".
2. We don't have to work em slow.

Yet Earl went on to sponsor dozens of others who got "recovered" as well. I have met several AA members who trace their lineage to Earl.

[DayTrader]

Just read it..... some observations:

Earl drank normally for many years. At some point, he started to hide his drinking "out of respect for (other's) feelings." LOL

He found ppl in AA who were sober, happy, and had their self-respect back. --a lot more than "just not drinking" if you ask me.

He had to do some things before being invited to his first meeting.....hmm, kinda neat.

Bill D (AA #3) ran the meeting and AT that meeting were 8 or 9 drunks AND THEIR WIVES. No "closed meetings" back then. I wonder how much less BS there'd be at our meetings if our husbands/wives/families were in attendance.........

He went to meetings in ppl's homes EVERY night while he was in Akron. --I guess meetings sure do help, huh?

I really liked this one: when he did his inventory with Dr Bob, Bob brought up several defects of character: selfishness, conceit, jealousy, carelessness, intolerance, ill-temper, sarcasm and resentments. They went over those things at length. -- In the BB Bill wrote about resentment, fear and sex....Bob seemed to think there was more to look at.

When Earl went back to Chicago, part of his "recovery plan" (my term there) was to look for drunks to help, get a meeting started, and in the meantime he'd continue to come back to Akron at least every two months to attend meetings, at least until he got one started up in Chicago.

After several months he got drunk AT his wife. lol. He learned a valuable lesson though, that he needs to continue to be current with his inventory and continue to address what's happening NOW as opposed to writing one inventory and living in the maintenance portion of the program.

The end was pretty cool. He talked about how his life has purpose now - not in being the world's savior but in just accomplishing life's little tasks.

Anyway, hope I didn't wreck it for anyone. Check it out....it's a good story.

[tomsteve]

Originally Posted by 2granddaughters

That's why I went to my Home Group meeting this morning and hang out with alkies... to get "indoctrinated".

My buddies years ago told me that AA would brainwash me..... I said "I hope so, my brain needs washing".

All the best DT

Bob R

wash, rinse, repeat!