Sober 12 years, born in Cuba in 1941, Pedro drank alcoholically from the first drink at age 12 and drank at every opportunity after that first time.
He got married in 1961 and left Cuba with the rest of the family.
He cut down on his drinking but embarrassed himself and his wife whenever he did drink.
They moved to Chattanooga, TN where his uncle lived. His father, a doctor, followed and got work as well.
Pedro went to school and got a job with IBM.
When he came into AA he had "moral difficulties" but never got a DUI or went to jail.
In 1977, IBM promoted him to a job in Atlanta. In 1982, he and a partner left IBM to start a very successful business. His partner in 1984 used legal maneuvers to take away Pedro's part of the company.
Pedro started another company that built up to 35 employees in four cities.
Pedro came into AA 6/26/1992, drinking a quart of booze a day, having drank the business away, still holding onto the resentment to that old partner.
He never thought about not drinking. He wanted to but could not kill himself.
Alone, late at night, at his dining room table he asked God, "Let this be my last one." He awoke the next morning sober with the desire gone. He went to his office and opened the telephone directory to the HOW Place where he reached Pat W.
Pedro was one those AA's who touched many lives through service.
He led the Monday Night Big Book Study for years at the Men's Extension in Marietta, GA.
I credit him with the message -
"Don't work the Steps - Take the Steps."
and I add to that..."Let the Steps do the work."
Pedro died sober of cancer several years after this talk.
This is the first live recording I made for WeJoy when I was just six months sober.
I used a lavalier microphone directly to my laptop. I still use the same technique today when I want the best possible recording.