Sober since 1945 or 46, Chi was the first sponsor of the well loved Tom I. from Southern Pines, NC. Tom got sober in 1957 so this talk is before he joined AA. A good strong talk in its own right, this recording is of excellent quality for its time. Chi says AA won't hurt me but alcohol certainly will.
Chi drank for 25 years. He was arrested and in 1942 was given 5 to 15 years in Jackson prison for unarmed robbery that netted 45 cents. His attitude did not change and he hustled in the prison all to buy whiskey. His wife divorced him (they later remarried in the program). He paroled out of prison and drank as soon as he could. He had 72 parole violations in 41 days. His ex-wife told him about AA when she was getting ready to leave him again. He called AA drunk and a woman answered and said enough of the right things to get him to finally talk to some "businessmen" who spent 2 hours in his home watching him drink.
He was told if for the first time in his life he was honest and willing and got down on his knees then he might get sober. The next morning he said, "Dear God please help me." He had taken the third step and did not know it and stayed sober. His body was sick and so was his spirit - full of self-pity. But then he started doing 12 step work and living the program one day at a time. He became a new man.
(47 min) (10.9 MB) (id#697)
