Month: April 2026

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THE GIFT OF SOBRIETY

I had an interesting experience the other day that I am sure is not unique to me. I was returning home from New Mexico and had stopped in Scottsdale, Arizona to spend the night. I was hungry and decided to try a Korean restaurant within walking distance of the hotel. It was early, so the restaurant was nearly empty of customers. I was escorted to my table by the waitress and after perusing the menu, made my order.

As I awaited my food, I glanced up and saw an advertisement for Sake. As I looked at the poster, I remembered how much I loved hot Sake. I could remember the taste and the warmth as it found its way down to my stomach. I could recall the way it made me feel. And then, just for a moment, I had the thought. I could have just one. No one would know. I was out of town, none of my family or AA friends were around. I was over 21 and I would be the only one to know, and I certainly wouldn’t tell anyone.

Sound familiar? After more than 23 years of sobriety, I found that alcohol continues to be “cunning, baffling, and powerful.” I did not order the Sake nor have I taken a drink, but it did give me the chance to reflect on my life in sobriety. I took a good hard look at my life and the contrast between my drinking and my sobriety.

The best way to describe my days before sobriety was that my life was a wilderness. I could not cultivate or nourish my soul because nothing could survive there except fear, anger, disappointment, and depression. In retrospect, my life was a vast wasteland. And then Twelve simple Steps and you, my friends in AA, changed all that. I found sobriety.

In sobriety, I have been able to plant that garden and decorate my soul. My life is filled with joy. I have my family and my friends. I have my self-respect and I have a purpose in life. I get to give back and make up for all those years when I was drinking and the only way of living was to take, take, take, and to make life miserable for those around me. Today I have a great joy in helping others.

I was recently told I do not do volunteer work. I do “pro bono” work. Whatever you want to call it, it is part of doing Twelve Step work.

So, as I walked out of the restaurant, I felt as if I had won. I had faced my enemy and found victory. I could once again resume my position of walking a couple of feet off the ground and feeling good about who and what I am today. I will, however, keep my guard up.

I hope you do not think I am gloating, for it is only through the love provided to me by my Higher Power and the life program of AA that I receive the gift of self-worth. Many of you continue to assist me by your kind words, your prayers, your energy, and your moral and financial support. Thank you for caring.

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THE LED ZEPPLIN COMES TO TOWN

Being a Deputy Sheriff I soon learned that people seemed to like to hear the stories of some of my experiences. I usually only tell them to some of my closest friends. They vary from funny to sad to crazy. This is one of those once in a lifetime stories of my unexpected encounter with Robert Plant, (lead singer of the Led Zeppelin rock band), Scotland Yard and my scoring backstage passes for a Led Zeppelin concert.

This all began back in the late 1970’s. I was assigned to work the night detective car at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Temple Station. Temple Station is located in the small town of Temple City, California a suburb located approximately a dozen miles from downtown Los Angeles.

On this particular evening, my partner had called in sick and I was working alone. Around 10 o’clock that night I received a phone call from London, England. This in and of itself was unusual and of course stimulated my curiosity. A male identifying himself as a someone who provided security for Robert Plant of the Led Zeppelin asked for my assistance. He related the following story:

A phone call was traced to a phone booth in our town of Temple City. The young male on the phone had managed to get through on the phone to Robert Plant. The caller identified himself as a doctor and was telling Robert Plant he had cancer and was going to die. Now this caller was very convincing because in order to get through to Robert Plant you had to go through Scotland Yard. The caller had convinced an officer in Scotland Yard that he was the real deal and had been transferred to Robert Plant. The security person I was speaking with said they had managed to trace the call and in fact still had the caller on the line. I was given the location of the phone booth, which was only a couple of blocks from the Sheriff’s Station. I jumped in my unmarked unit and raced to the phone booth. Sure enough, there was a young male talking on the phone. When he saw me approaching the phone booth he quickly hung up the phone. I immediately recognized the suspect as someone I had dealt with many times. Someone who seemed to be getting into trouble without even trying.

I detained the suspect and transported him to the Station where he admitted his wrongdoing. He said, he was angry and upset that the Led Zeppelin had cancelled a tour date for which he had tickets. He was directing his anger at Mr. Plant to get even for him cancelling the concert. This very imaginative young man had managed to get through to Mr. Plant and pass himself off as a doctor, telling him he had a case of incurable cancer.

Robert Plant had, in fact, cancelled the concert as he had broken his arm and was unable to perform. I called the security agent back and asked if they wanted to prosecute. I was told they preferred not to prosecute and if I was able to supply them with a photo of the suspect, they would be willing to let him go.

The suspect agreed to let me take his photo, in fact was enthusiastic about it as now the Led Zeppelin would know his identity and would have his picture. He was stoked!

I mailed the photo to the security agent and I thought that was the end of it. A couple of months later I received a call from the security agent. He said the Led Zeppelin was going to be performing in Los Angeles and they would like to invite me and my friends as guests. He sent me 12 front row guest passes along with backstage passes.

I was not into 1970’s rock in those days. But my younger brother Don was and I gave him the passes. Later he told me he had an amazing evening seeing the concert and meeting the band members following the performance.

All in all, it was a fun caper!