He’s been here before. A few years ago. He was disruptive then and he was disruptive last night – but not too bad, thankfully. Our meeting went along with just a couple of bumps, then the policeman showed up. It wasn’t over…

He’d shown up late. During the meeting we discovered he’d driven himself to the church because the officer popped into the room and asked who was driving a particular vehicle. What became apparent later was that there had been reports to the police from the local neighborhood about this person driving erratically. After the meeting we discovered that one of our members, who is a long-term, good standing sober member of our group, had been run off the road by this person on the way to the meeting!

The police could not arrest this person – he was not in his vehicle when they arrived, they had not seen him driving. They did thoroughly explain to this young man that were he to get into his car to attempt to drive away that he would be arrested.

So, the questions become – what would you do if this person asked you for a ride home? What would you have done had the police not been there?

I’ll take this moment to remind us of “the very spirit of Step Nine.”

[Image credit - Daniel Wildman]

Post from: Blisstree

A Real Live Drunk Showed Up [Would you know what to do?]

Lary Sorensen, no longer anonymous, cannot hide from the aftermath of another alcoholic episode. One which ought to, but might not, prove beyond any doubt that he is powerless over alcohol.

“It was 3:12 on a Saturday morning, Feb. 2, when Roseville police officer Brian Dobrzycki approached a gray 1998 Ford parked on the shoulder of I-696, near I-94, a man slumped unmoving over the steering wheel.

Dobrzycki hammered on the windows and the windshield to no avail, and called emergency medical services. Moments after they arrived the man stirred, and eventually was able to unlock his door.

Dobrzycki identified him: former All-Star pitcher and Tigers announcer Lary Sorensen. He was dead drunk — nearly literally so.”

Way beyond “stewed to the gills” or “drunk as a skunk” or even “sh**-faced.”

“Tests determined his blood alcohol level to be .48 — six times higher than the .08 threshold for drunk-driving convictions in Michigan.”

So, some ask “How the heck do you rack up a .48?” They simply don’t understand, do they? This is only my opinion, based on personal experience – Lary lost the ability to say no to the next drink of alcohol and simply didn’t pass out. This is accomplished through a lot of practice!

Lary Sorensen was a major league baseball player, a pitcher and an All-Star in 1978. “In an 11-season career, Sorensen posted a 93-103 record with 569 strikeouts, 10 shutouts, and a 4.15 ERA in 346 games pitched (235 as a starter).”

“Saturday’s arrest was Sorensen’s seventh drunk-driving incident, and he still is on parole from his sixth offense.

He was sentenced to 23 months to five years in prison after driving his car, littered with empty beer cans and one still-cold, half-full one, into a ditch off a Chesterfield Township road just after midnight on Oct. 30, 2004, according to police records. His blood alcohol content that time registered .31.”

Practice… (yes, sarcasm). By using a bit of “alcoholic math,” Lary reduced his stay in prison by attending a boot camp and was released early.

“All he had to do then was report weekly to his parole officer, and keep off the booze.

Sorensen couldn’t do it — although he tried, performing community service, baring his soul in talks to East Detroit High students and at Salvation Army meetings.”

He sure isn’t alone, is he?

“According to Corrections spokesman Russ Marlan, however, a parole officer walked into Sorensen’s apartment unannounced last May, and found him drinking. A tether was placed on his leg again for another six months.

In November, records show, Sorensen admitted that he had been drinking on weekends. He was sent to an urgent, all-day relapse program, reenrolled in Alcoholics Anonymous and his parole was extended for six months.”

Which is where (at least for the writer of this piece) society shows its misunderstanding of AA. Re-enrolled?

“Now Sorensen is awaiting transport back to Jackson Prison, where the parole board will rule on his case within 45 days. The board could keep him in prison for as little as another three months, or until his original maximum sentence ends Dec. 12, 2009.

Sorensen is ‘a person who had many opportunities in life,’ said the judge who originally sentenced him to prison, Richard L. Caretti of Macomb Circuit Court. ‘He’s now thrown all those opportunities away.’”

I’d pray he’s found his bottom – he isn’t unique – right? Oh, btw judge, there is another opportunity, one called Providence.

Post from: Blisstree

No One Is Immune – Not Even An All-Star

I have no idea at all whether or not Lindsay Lohan has the disease alcoholism. From her actions she appears to, but that is her decision to make, not mine.

The consequences of her drinking and drugging are another story! Catch this -

“Lindsay Lohan is about to see dead people. The 21-year-old actress will soon be working at a morgue as part of her punishment for misdemeanor drunken driving, her attorney, Blair Berk, told a judge Thursday… Her two four-hour days at the morgue are part of a court-ordered program to show drivers the real-life consequences of drinking and driving. She must also spend two days working in a hospital emergency room.”

Now, if that wasn’t “bad” enough…

“Lohan was arrested twice last year on DUI charges and pleaded guilty in August to misdemeanor drunken driving and cocaine charges. She has already served 84 minutes in jail as part of the plea deal.”

Wow!!! A WHOLE 84 minutes in jail!!! What were they thinking???

Post from: Blisstree

Willing To Accept The Consequences?