T J Tuner, Sonny Turner and Curt Chown
January 4, 1976- Ocean avenue, Brooklyn New York: Sonny and his wife are having coffee at 5pm Sunday. His wife’s name is Candy.
This is when Candy asks ‘When are they picking you up?’
Sonny says ‘7:30 pm.’
Candy asks ‘Who is picking you up?’
Sonny tells her the names of two other men. Curt and Tom.
Candy wants to know the format.
Sonny tells her it is an open meeting, where he is the first speaker, Tom is the second speaker and Curt is the last speaker.
Candy asks him if he is scared. Sonny tells her he is.
Sonny will be taking a shower.
7:30pm is when his friends pick him up at his apartment on Ocean Avenue and Avenue J. He is feeling refreshed after his shower, as well.
When Sonny gets in the car, he notices Tom is driving. As the car is moving, Curt says “Sonny, since we still have time before the meeting starts, you can tell us about your 90 days.”
Sonny is excited and says " Fantastic idea.”
After they park the car, the three of them walk into the "Staying Sober” group.
Walking into the group, the three men decided to sit on their reserved seats and wait until the meeting starts. The three men agreed that Sonny could take as long as he wanted , when he talked. Especially when the subject is his 90 days.
After the meeting, they go to a cafe and Curt asks Sonny ‘You never mentioned why you joined.’
Sonny answers ‘I was on my last day of my drinking and I was doing it all day, when I finally got home. This was September 30th. I was at a tenant’s meeting and of course I was acting stupid. In my blackout, someone brought me back to my apartment, or I thought it was my apartment. When I was woken up the next morning by my father, I realized I was in my parents house. He told me my wife said I was drinking all night, so my father brought me to the house. My father had made me decide to start getting sober or I wasn't getting help from him and my mother. I had fifteen minutes to decide. He handed me a piece of paper and told me to call the number. The final decision was mine. Ten minutes later, I went downstairs to make the call. There was a meeting that night on Avenue N and 57th street. So I took my wife home. Yes, she was also at my parents house. Then I went to the meeting three hours before it started. When I got there, I was welcomed with open arms, phone numbers and a meeting list. I didn't know it at the time, but it would change me forever. That was October 1st of last year.’
Curt asks ‘Did you ever take your wife to meetings?’
Sonny responds ‘I took her on a Tuesday, while my wife's friend babysat the kids. I took her to the meeting on Kings Highway. As we leave the building, one of the neighbors says there goes the crazy alcoholic. I was told by my wife not to pay attention to the neighbor. When we arrive at the meeting, I tell her how the organization works, while we have coffee. Before the meeting started, she told me quietly that she was going to the family assisted program when I was drinking. After the meeting, we were taking our time. She told me that she hopes I never go back to drinking, stay as I am, I will always love you no matter what. She wanted to get home quickly so we can go to sleep so I will be ready for work, and she will be ready to get the kids to school.’
Curt asks ‘Do you remember what happened to B.T. kid?’
Sonny replies ‘Yeah, I remember when you drove him so he could get his stuff for the rehab center. When we were in the car, he had said he wanted to die. When we got to the rehab center his wife came out with their child. She told him she hoped he died because I will be sleeping with your friend and taking pictures, and mail them to you, in front of our kid. Billy said he wanted me to kill him at that moment. I told him no.’
Curt says ‘I have to pick him up from there next week.’
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At Sonny’s job, a coworker comes up to him and asks if he wants to go out for a drink after work. Sonny doesn't know what to say, since this is one of his work buddies. If Sonny says no, he might lose a good friend. If he says yes, it might mean back to hard drinking for Sonny, which will have him lose everyone else and everything that he has now. Is it worth the risk? His father said that if he did this kind of stuff again, he would not be able to come back to his parents house. This is going to take time to process. Nobody said that staying sober would be easy, or that temptations wouldn't be there. On the one hand, he would love a meeting right now. On the other hand, a drink doesn't sound all that bad. Should he just say he will go to the bar with his friend and not drink? That would set Sonny up for a relapse. It may mean no coming back at all. Is it worth all of that? If his friend doesn't understand, then maybe he wasn't a friend after all. A lot of thoughts are running through Sonny’s head at once. The angel on one shoulder and a demon on the other. This is going to be the biggest decision in his life. Sonny will decide right now. This is part of the talk.
Tom asks ‘What was your answer?’
Sonny says ‘I am on medication where I can't drink for a while. He told me that we will do it next time.’.
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Sonny chairs his first meeting.
Sonny says ‘Welcome everyone.I am an alcoholic. I will read from the Program's statement. PAR is a group of alcoholics who want to stay sober and keep others sober as well. One day and one moment at a time. I will introduce you to the main speaker, Jimmy.’
About an hour later, the meeting is done with Sonny closing.
We will close with the program’s prayer ‘The creator, gives the power to stay sober and gives us the power to help others. Without any rewards.
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Sonny and his wife have a romantic night to themselves, while the kids are at her parents house. After the fun, they decide to talk about which meeting they should go together on.
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Sonny chairs a business meeting. He welcomes members to the meeting.
‘Our first report is from the treasurer.’
The treasurer’s name is Sue Ann and she says’As of now, we have a total of four thousand dollars. The rent is paid for four months. Also, we are paying our delegates to attend the Brooklyn Conference next weekend. That should cost three hundred dollars. We have enough supplies for three months.’
Next up, the program chairman. He says ‘Our meetings are booked for three months and I will book our outgoing commitments. See Sonny or I about it. Our group anniversary has three speakers. I hope everyone attends.’
After the meeting a half hour later Sonny says”We will have a moment of silence.’
When the moment of silence is over, the meeting is finished and everyone heads home.
Coming home from work Candy says ‘Your friend Hobo called you. He wants you to call him back.’
Sonny wants to know what Hobo wants. He makes a call to Hobo. Hobo tells Sonny that he has proof that the bishop is fooling around with girls who are newcomers to the program. Sonny wanted Hobo to come to his apartment by nine pm. His friend gets there before nine and asks Sonny if he is going to the party. Sonny tells him that he will be going and is taking his wife with him. Hobo will meet him there and prove his allegation. After coffee, Hobo gets up to leave. Sonny says he will see hobo Monday to see about the theory.
After the party, Sonny took Hobo aside and said ‘What you are saying is all hearsay. The girls went home and he is still here. Unless you have proof, I don't want to hear it anymore. I am going home, and I will see you at a meeting.’
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Sonny is called into the manager’s office at his job.
The manager says ‘I have good news for you. We would like you to take over the position of being supervisor of group c. Think it over. Give us your answer next week.’
Sonny says ‘I will take it, most likely. I will tell my wife and we will talk in a couple of weeks.’
The manager says ‘No problem.’
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Sonny, Curt and Tom are having coffee.
Sonny says ‘Just a reminder, that next week is my anniversary. You two are my speakers and you can decide who goes first.’
Curt asks ‘Who is going to be there.?’
Sonny says ‘My wife, two kids and my parents, so watch your language.’
The three men laugh about that.
After the anniversary, all of them head to Sonny's parents house. Tom and Curt congratulate Sonny. His wife is proud of him. He is happy to be sober.
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Author’s note: This is part one of a series of short stories for this writing collaboration.