The Wickliffe Wednesday Group in Wickliffe, OH

Thank you, John Ashley. And our

tonight we got Chuck Walsh from the Newburgh Group, correct? Yes, Sir. It was about two or three weeks ago. I called him the lead

and I would like to he hit the ladder. He's all thank you, Bob. Thank you, Bob. Thanks for asking. It was it was it was it was nice. Then today I called him to remind him that it was leading and he said, you know, there was no need. I knew I was coming out and he told me today he was an engineer. He used to drive a train. I remember the first time I ever heard him leave. He told me he was like he said from the podium, he was a boxer. This guy's a boxer. Now he's an in con. An engineer drives a train, I mean,

and I know that that third, that

the third chapter, the big book describes him very well. And then we all use some excuses and that's a very good chapter. I'd like to read that chapter anyways.

Chuck needs no introduction, you know I'm saying

he's part of his sample. To me, he always has been since the first time I heard him lead on a sister nation many, many moons ago.

He's just, he's, I know he, I know he knows the Lord and I know he loves this program. And we'll give you Chuck Walsh.

God bless you, man. Well, I like that

I do have a God in my life today.

You know, I just was talking to a guy spent roughly about 20 years of his life in the penitentiary. Just about 5 minutes. 10 minutes ago, to be exact.

That's what alcohol does. Chuck.

Hi, before we start, can you help me with the Lord's Prayer Art of Serenity Prayer?

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.

It's very easy for me to talk.

Very easy.

I see a clock there. I have a wristwatch. I know what less than 1/2 hour is

and boy, when Bob called me, I need, I need a a desperately. I don't care how long you're sober Chuck. This gift is given to us just today,

you know. And you know, my story is no different than anyone here.

It's a story of tragedy, loneliness, fear, anxiety, guilt, remorse.

It's terrible, terrible feeling to get sober. Very uncomfortable. You know, before I came to AAI, had some gifts, I had some talents. I graduated from a fine Jesuit college. I was a professional boxer. I did some professional acting on Broadway.

I was an attorney in the state of Ohio.

I was a high school football coach

and you know, I I was a lot of people, a lot of different guys. And the truth of the matter is I never went to college. I was never that professional boxer.

I was never any of those people. But give me some muscatel wine and I became those people. I mean, I just love staying high and here I am tonight. My hands aren't perspiring. I'm not overly, I'm not even concerned what you think of me.

See, A as given me that gift. A as given me so much.

So much.

And the sad part of this, Chuck, is I take it for granted. I could remember when I first come to a a, a guy be up here talking and I'd say that's impossible. He's lying. It's not possible. And I'm in the workhouse at the Cleveland Correction Workhouse,

and it was truly a workhouse at that time. It was productive. They had cattle there, they had a farm there, but I couldn't work.

I told Miss Sharp every time I went out there I says I can't work. I got ran over by a car and that was a truth.

At the age of 21 years old, I was a misfit. At the age of 21, I just couldn't handle life. I graduated from Saint Joe's High School in 1956. And if you've seen me, you'd say, hey, that kids going to do OK. I got discharged from the Marine Corps, thank God, honorably,

and my service life was blah.

And why was it blah, Chuck? Because I was drunk, every time I had an opportunity

I wasn't in, there was no conflict going on, so I was blessed. What do you mean it was blah?

Every opportunity I got, I drank and I was in some beautiful countries, you know, Greece, I mean, just beautiful. And what did you see in Greece? Alcohol.

I got afflicted with this illness right from the get go as a young boy of the age of 14 years old. And by that I mean I was afflicted. I never had a good time drinking and I'll, I'll, I'll explain that because every time I drank alcohol,

I was someone else.

I never was able to be myself when I drank alcohol. And what I'm trying to get at is

I just

didn't like being sober, I guess, at the age of 14. And, and in my high school days, every time I had an opportunity to drink, I certainly did and a lot.

And I would steal to get that Musk atel wine. And I did that many times.

What did alcohol do to me?

It destroyed my life.

Hey, Mr.

Do you have a nickel? Hey, Mr. Do you have a dime?

You know, when you lose your pride in your life, the self respect, something's wrong, something's wrong. And then the sad part of that, Chuck, is you go back drinking again.

I'd go in and out of that workhouse like it was nothing. And there to me was I was young. I still had that good physical makeup, but I couldn't work.

All kinds of dishonesty,

and that's part of my illness. Just like I had no spiritual life,

part of my illness. This is a baffling, baffling illness, Chuck. And you better not forget it, Chuck. I'm not impressed with years. This is just one day at a time. Chuck. I've been with you people now since 1971. That doesn't impress me at all. Not at all, because it's been a gift from God. And when I came here,

I didn't bring anything. I didn't bring anything. All I brought when I came to these a a meetings was a young man that was full of fear, full of guilt, full of remorse. And really, I like to say I was a misfit.

What do you mean you're a misfit? The only way I could function in society is drink.

And when I got here I didn't know how to interact with people sober. And I was a young boy, 141516 years old. I drank with the wine, was in the neighborhood down in White City, and we used to pass the muscatel fifths around and I'd be drinking right with them. The winos in the neighborhood at White City

drinking right out of the same bottle. And some of these guys never took a shower for months.

I had problems,

and, you know,

I better not forget how I suffered.

I lived in a penthouse on 17th and Superior. Yeah, Penthouse. My Yeah, there's no penthouse. It was a flap house

on the South side of Saint Clair to 17th. It was a rooming house on 17th and Superior. If my mother and father ever seen the way I was living, they would die.

No bathroom, shared a bed with a guy, a gal, and myself. And my employer was right across the street. Manpower. And as sure as I stand here tonight, I didn't think there was anything wrong with me. I didn't think I had a drinking problem.

Well, I'll tell you this. Alcohol. You're the last one to note, Chuck. Everyone around you knew you were a drunk and you didn't even know you had a drinking problem. I had a drinking problem right from the first time I drank alcohol. It really my life was unmanageable. When I drank alcohol I did things and said things

that I regret it.

And here I am tonight to share my story. And you said at less than 1/2 hour check.

Boy, it's been a real beautiful, beautiful way of life coming to a a. It's been a gift all. Don't get me wrong, I've had my problems since I've been sober, but that's life. Chuck grow up

and I never was able to grow up.

But since I come to a A, I've been taught very well to grow up and face reality.

How did I get sober?

How did you get sober?

I didn't get sober

my my sponsor Tommy Fahey said to me,

are you an alcoholic, Chuck? And I says, Gee, I don't know, Tom. I don't think I am. You know how sick I just, when I first came in the program

and what I'm trying to say to myself tonight, I don't know what the hell I was.

I knew my life was unmanageable, but damn it, every time I drank, I told you I was 6 foot six. I graduated from college and man, it was all these people, a lawyer, a boxer, and it was all fantasy world because when I drink alcohol, I lived in a fantasy world.

Couldn't work.

Now I couldn't work.

And you keep saying, how did you get sober, Chuck? I just kept coming to these meetings and I didn't like these meetings at all, did not like these meetings at all. Didn't like the handshake. I didn't like that fellowship. I didn't like anything about that. I'm just full of fear and anger

and I kept coming to these meetings

and, you know, they started talking about a higher power

and that's when it started clicking.

And then I came to realize my life was I was powerless over alcohol because so many times I come in and out of a A

and every time I get in trouble. Every time I get in trouble. I never had a car and I get picked up for drunk and driving and and three times in less than a year now. Something's got to be wrong with you, Chuck. And I still didn't think I had a drinking problem.

And I remember I'm in East Cleveland and I'm in the cell there. And I said to the turnkey, I says what do they got me for? I didn't even know they picked me up for drunk and driving it. First time he said they got you for drunken driving, no big thing. And then the second time was up in Chardon.

That was a mess.

Didn't think nothing of it.

So I went to court in Chardon. It was 250 dollars, $250 to me at that time was like 250,000

because that manpower, I'm making $8 and change every day. I get a check every day and every day I'm drunk.

And the third time I get picked up, it's in Bratton all and I went to school with the Chiefs, chill all his kids, the Kriegans. And he says to me one morning, he says, we're not going to let you go this time.

Nice man. What kind of guy is he? You know, God, give me a break.

So Strathern, it was December 24th, Strathern said. He called the chief and he says he's going to let me out.

And the cops from Bratton all drove me right to my street on 140th and Othello. And you know what I did? Soon as they dropped me off, I went to the neighborhood bar and that bar, they didn't want me in there, but I begged them for a drink.

You know, it's amazing what we do for a drink. You lose yourself respect and yourself dignity and yourself worth. Because when I drank I I did things, said things and acted just like an animal.

And here I am tonight.

I don't want to drink. I don't have any desire for it

and I feel comfortable.

And who do I owe that to? I owe that to you people.

You people and my God.

And my wife God. Yes.

And how did this happen, Chuck? Simple.

Very simple.

God came into my life, ladies and gentlemen, and just

very slowly

kept insisting that I keep coming to these meetings.

And I started coming to these meetings

and I joined Newberg

for my Home group,

and I didn't like it. I didn't like. But my brother says, Hey, you need this Newburgh. It's good.

Jeez. The comments were longer than the lead. And I I, I, I would say to my brother and and it's just these people are crazy. You know, it's just keep coming and you know, anybody talk about God or anything spirit, spiritual,

I get very uncomfortable. My hands would perspire. They were already perspire when I first come around. But boy, I'll tell you, it was a very confusing time when I came here. I didn't understand anything.

And Tommy Fahey was good.

Boy was he good. I'd go to his house and he says we're going to church.

I says church. I says to myself, this guy's out of his mind. That's the last thing I want. And he lived right across street from Saint Catherine's,

and I didn't like that either.

But as time went on, I was starting to develop a spiritual way of life.

And Tommy says one of your problems, Chuck, is you don't know how to be honest. I said, what the hell are they talking about? I mean, I'm here because I can't drink alcohol. Now he's telling me I'm a dishonest person. What was I confused

man and I did go see a psychiatrist and because I really.

Didn't know what the hell was going on and I felt so uncomfortable. My mind was going 1,000,000 miles an hour.

And that Doctor Senta, you should just keep coming to the meetings

and everything of fall in place. And I stand here tonight and share with you,

I just kept coming to these meetings and everything fell in place.

God, you know,

I could remember working at Manpower,

you know, Thank God.

Thank God A A showed me how to get a job.

You showed me how to do everything.

It showed me how to live. But the most important thing, a A showed me that there is a higher power, there is a God. And please, Chuck, get to know him, get to know him. And what I did is I went on retreats, You know, I went to a Catholic High School and my parents were the best examples in the world.

You think I would know that, you know, and, but I struggled with it. I struggled so much with higher power. And thank God, I, I, I did find out

that man, the ISIS, Tommy, I just am full of doubt. He says,

look at the sky, Chuck, and we're looking at the sky. And he says look at the shrubs and look at the trees and look at Mother Nature. Who do you think made all that?

And ISIS,

he says, you think man made that check? I said no time. He says God made it right. I says, yeah, you're right. He says, start believing.

And boy, my boy, my life has changed so much. And, you know, today I go down to the monastery down in Kentucky once a year and spend time with the monks and pray. And I come home and my wife says, now you're going to be an Angel for a week.

And that's true.

But boy, you know, I'd just like to say

3rd, 11th step. I'm out of spiritual steps. That is programmed Chuck but Chuck the most important step

all twelve of our important but you never can stop stop that number one step. You got to constantly have it at your side. Powerless life has become unmanageable,

boy. And you know, I was given the gift of believing a God. I was given the gift to talk to another human being and share what I've done in the past that wasn't God's will. And it was tough for me, but I did it and I wrote it down. And I can report to you tonight.

I have no guilt of my past. God forgave me.

That's in the 4th and 5th step, Chuck. And what a gift. What a gift. I'm not concerned

what's going on. You know, if people say something or

that's not important,

what are you? Are you doing God's will? That's more important. I don't like to be around anyone that says anything. I like to gossip. I can't tolerate it. And thank God, since I've been in the program, it's very, very minimum.

Oh, boy, you can talk as you're right. You know, The thing is,

life has been good

and you know, I make that inventory and God forgave me for what I've done in the past. And the beautiful thing is I don't have to share with you all the things that I've done in the past, and I'm sorry for what I've done.

And God forgave me,

and I asked God to remove those character defects like that selfishness and that dishonesty at self seeking.

Yeah.

And then at night when I go to bed, I say my prayers

and I take that inventory

and I review what I've done today.

And boy, I can tell you life is so much easier now I'm married, Margaret, and I've been blessed to have five children.

It's been a good life. A A has been good to me, very good to me. I did not have to ask someone to take me here tonight.

I did not have to walk here tonight. I have the finest car in that parking lot. What kind of car is it, Chuck? A Bentley? Trust me, it's the finest car in that parking lot.

And The thing is, I need to go to a A meetings more today than any other time in my life. I try to go the minimum four to five meetings a week.

Why, Chuck? Why do you keep coming back?

Come on, my life is saved and it's so simple.

So simple

and you people have taught me to love. Boy, that's a good feeling,

the love, my fellow man.

God, is that nice. And you know, when I leave here tonight, how will I conduct myself when I go home? How do I treat my wife, Margaret?

Hey, that's what I learned here is how to behave myself. And then when I leave here, put it in application. And Bob, I want to thank you for asking me. Can you please help me with the Lord's Prayer?