A cautionary Tale - DUI
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: TX
Posts: 4
A cautionary Tale - DUI
First a little about me - I rarely post here but I do visit often. I would classify myself as a raging alcoholic, although I don't actually drink that much anymore - if that makes any sense.
My story is about my next door neighbor - "David". He is a divorced father of one daughter - about 10 or 11 years old. I've known him for about 3 years. In the 3 years I've known him I've never seen him take a drink and I never saw him drunk - not even a little.
About 18 months ago I noticed that his usually manicured lawn was looking a little shaggy. One day while I was out mowing my grass he came out of his house on a set of crutches and asked if I could help him with his yard as he had been injured on the job. I said of course and mowed his grass for the next couple of months until he literally "got back on his feet". Unfortunately, while he was hurt, his company fired him. Where we live there area no unions and as he found out, there was virtually nothing he could do about it without hiring a lawyer and going through a long legal battle - something he had neither the time nor the money to do.
David moved on and found another job, although it paid much less than his previous one. The financial pressures finally caused him to file chapter 13 bankruptcy to avoid being evicted from his home. In a double-whammy for him, the home market collapsed in our area such that selling was - and remains - virtually impossible.
He seemed to be doing fine for a few months until one day he came over and asked me if he could run an extension cord from my house to his bedroom window for a couple of days as his electricity had been cut off. I was a bit concerned but I said OK. This is a middle class neighborhood - people don't generally get their utilities cut off. A couple of days turned into a couple of months, although the additional cost to me was almost nothing so I ignored it. One day he got his power turned back on and things were looking up. He had gotten a new job and was running a side business selling warehouse supplies that looked like it might take off.
Then one day I came home from work to see a bunch of strange cars parked out in front of his house. I took a look but couldn't see who it was. Then a few days later a bunch more strange cars were out in front again. This time they were obviously emptying the contents of the house. Then nothing - for about a month - just a vacant house next door.
This past weekend I spoke with another neighbor "Chuck" and asked him if he had any idea what had happened to "David". Chuck is president of our homeowners association and also a detective with a neighboring city police force. He told me that David had been picked up on a DUI charge. This was David's 4th offense and as such he was denied bond and was sitting in jail.
Because he was already under court supervision due to his bankruptcy case they apparently evicted him from his house and repossessed it. They gave his family an opportunity to come by and pick up any belonging - by this time there wasn't much left, and animal control took his dog away - after neighbors had been throwing food over the fence for several weeks.
I had no idea David had an alcohol problem and maybe in his mind he didn't but he's lost pretty much everything at this point. He's looking at at least a year and probably two in prison - based on the laws and history in this state - and his daughter has lost her daddy.
I feel sorry for him because I knew him and we talked often and I hope he gets his life together, but when you get your 4th DUI - knowing what happens after the first three and knowing you have a child looking up to you - it's really hard to blame the booze and not the man.
My story is about my next door neighbor - "David". He is a divorced father of one daughter - about 10 or 11 years old. I've known him for about 3 years. In the 3 years I've known him I've never seen him take a drink and I never saw him drunk - not even a little.
About 18 months ago I noticed that his usually manicured lawn was looking a little shaggy. One day while I was out mowing my grass he came out of his house on a set of crutches and asked if I could help him with his yard as he had been injured on the job. I said of course and mowed his grass for the next couple of months until he literally "got back on his feet". Unfortunately, while he was hurt, his company fired him. Where we live there area no unions and as he found out, there was virtually nothing he could do about it without hiring a lawyer and going through a long legal battle - something he had neither the time nor the money to do.
David moved on and found another job, although it paid much less than his previous one. The financial pressures finally caused him to file chapter 13 bankruptcy to avoid being evicted from his home. In a double-whammy for him, the home market collapsed in our area such that selling was - and remains - virtually impossible.
He seemed to be doing fine for a few months until one day he came over and asked me if he could run an extension cord from my house to his bedroom window for a couple of days as his electricity had been cut off. I was a bit concerned but I said OK. This is a middle class neighborhood - people don't generally get their utilities cut off. A couple of days turned into a couple of months, although the additional cost to me was almost nothing so I ignored it. One day he got his power turned back on and things were looking up. He had gotten a new job and was running a side business selling warehouse supplies that looked like it might take off.
Then one day I came home from work to see a bunch of strange cars parked out in front of his house. I took a look but couldn't see who it was. Then a few days later a bunch more strange cars were out in front again. This time they were obviously emptying the contents of the house. Then nothing - for about a month - just a vacant house next door.
This past weekend I spoke with another neighbor "Chuck" and asked him if he had any idea what had happened to "David". Chuck is president of our homeowners association and also a detective with a neighboring city police force. He told me that David had been picked up on a DUI charge. This was David's 4th offense and as such he was denied bond and was sitting in jail.
Because he was already under court supervision due to his bankruptcy case they apparently evicted him from his house and repossessed it. They gave his family an opportunity to come by and pick up any belonging - by this time there wasn't much left, and animal control took his dog away - after neighbors had been throwing food over the fence for several weeks.
I had no idea David had an alcohol problem and maybe in his mind he didn't but he's lost pretty much everything at this point. He's looking at at least a year and probably two in prison - based on the laws and history in this state - and his daughter has lost her daddy.
I feel sorry for him because I knew him and we talked often and I hope he gets his life together, but when you get your 4th DUI - knowing what happens after the first three and knowing you have a child looking up to you - it's really hard to blame the booze and not the man.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 212
Wow - the 4th one? That is terrible.
I joined this board to discuss my ex but I guess I know a lot of peope with alcohol dependancy issues.
My own mum was caught the 2nd time and narrowly avoided prison herself. She'd been going through a divorce and it was so difficult for her so she turned to alcohol to help. She'd stay up all night and into the morning drinking. She's now banned for 3 years, I was so scared she would be put away.
I joined this board to discuss my ex but I guess I know a lot of peope with alcohol dependancy issues.
My own mum was caught the 2nd time and narrowly avoided prison herself. She'd been going through a divorce and it was so difficult for her so she turned to alcohol to help. She'd stay up all night and into the morning drinking. She's now banned for 3 years, I was so scared she would be put away.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 212
Originally Posted by CAPTAINZING2000 
Wish every alcoholic, could look at themselves from the eyes of others.
We create a rippling effect on all those that love us.
Thank you for the reminder of what is still out there for me!!
We create a rippling effect on all those that love us.
Thank you for the reminder of what is still out there for me!!
Member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 423
I was in outpatient rehab for my alcoholism when a mid-twenties age Teacher entered the program. He didn't speak much and obviously did not want to be there. He would not say anything about being an alcoholic, but just that he really loved to drink.
Later, when he was giving his drinking timeline story, he mentioned his recent fourth DUI arrest and we all about fell off our chairs!
Alcoholism can sure play tricks on our friends and even neighbors, but we are really only fooling ourselves in the end (as your neighbor found out.)
Dave
Later, when he was giving his drinking timeline story, he mentioned his recent fourth DUI arrest and we all about fell off our chairs!
Alcoholism can sure play tricks on our friends and even neighbors, but we are really only fooling ourselves in the end (as your neighbor found out.)
Dave
Psalm 118:24
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ILLINOIS
Posts: 15,203
Alcoholism is the only disease that can leave you lying in the gutter saying to yourself, you're ok 
There's a movie called Raging Bull. Robert Deniro played the part of Jake LaMotta in the movie. There was a fight scene in the movie where Deniro character was fighting Sugar Ray Robinson. Deniro lost the fight and he looked his face was placed in a meat grinder and he kept telling Sugar Ray he didn't knock him down.
I've often thought about this with regards to my drinking. Wrecked cars getting out saying hey, I'm not hurt and keep on drinking and driving. Totally insane !!!!
Sometimes, it takes what it takes. Let's pray for him that, this is his wake up call before someone got killed due to his drinking and driving!!
There's a movie called Raging Bull. Robert Deniro played the part of Jake LaMotta in the movie. There was a fight scene in the movie where Deniro character was fighting Sugar Ray Robinson. Deniro lost the fight and he looked his face was placed in a meat grinder and he kept telling Sugar Ray he didn't knock him down.
I've often thought about this with regards to my drinking. Wrecked cars getting out saying hey, I'm not hurt and keep on drinking and driving. Totally insane !!!!
Sometimes, it takes what it takes. Let's pray for him that, this is his wake up call before someone got killed due to his drinking and driving!!
Philippines/Canada
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Left Coast
Posts: 454
Originally Posted by Kit
I am thankful I have never hurt anybody while driving after drinking. What a risk to take!
Thanks for the post!
Thanks for the post!
3 years no driving for me.
Thanks Angus. This is yet another sad story of addiction, i hope this is his bottom for him.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: library
Posts: 131
I drank and drove at least 3000 times over 10 years. It is certainly something I am not proud of--ashamed is more like it. I put so many people's live's at risk. Never got caught. Makes you wonder how many people are out there in no condition to drive.
It's amazing when you are drinking that you feel perfectly capable to drive. I haven't a clue how to stop it. Especially when people rack up 3 and 4 DUI's. Just one DUI would devestated me and my family.
I no longer drink, thank God!
jane
It's amazing when you are drinking that you feel perfectly capable to drive. I haven't a clue how to stop it. Especially when people rack up 3 and 4 DUI's. Just one DUI would devestated me and my family.
I no longer drink, thank God!
jane
Follow Directions!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
Deniro lost the fight and he looked his face was placed in a meat grinder and he kept telling Sugar Ray he didn't knock him down.
So many people think that a bottom is material, I found that it was actually for me a spiritual bottom, I only had one DUI and that was 20 years before I quit drinking and I only totaled on truck about a year before I quit, but my spirit, my soul was suffering from gangrene, I was dying from the inside out spiritually.
More then likely this is why AA was my salvation, my spirit was dying, AA showed me how to save it.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
