Greetings,
My name is Jake and I'm an alcoholic. I will be the first patient to graduate from The Center in episode 1. And low and behold, of all the misfit minions you'll see on this show from beginning to end, I of all people, will be the one who does the best. I will be the embodiment of sobriety, living proof that rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.
Now, if you had to guess of all the characters who would make it, I would not be your first choice. I come from nothing, i have minimal education, I have no visible support system and I have virtually no skills to speak of, if you don't include smuggling, trafficking, and cooking up narcotics as proper skill sets in this sober life.
I mean, i can't walk by anything and not figure the amount of contraband I could hide. That couch, that crate over there. Even that picture frame. All I see is how can I take it all apart and put it back together with a kilo or two of coke added in for good measure.
And don't even get me started on my horticulture skills. (He will tend to the Earth everywhere he goes. Landscaping will end up being his career) (theme of growth will surround him always)
But yeah, I'm going to be the character of hope.
My bottom will be gripping. How and why they took me in at The Center will remain a mystery until later in the series, ((He was involved in a substantial drug deal, was fronted the money..used the money to pay for his rehab, will have some dicey encounters with the people he owes, who will want their money back..He will stand tall in the face of threatening violence.. Will pay them back a little at a time..they will show mercy..its THEIR money .. He will be offered numerous opportunities to make some big money on the quick...it will test his sobriety..until he steps up and confronts them.. particularly at the Final Episode 10 year anniversary show. Little did I/we know some benefactor in the town set up a scholarship fund for destitute folk like me.
But I will be the model patient. Stay sober no matter what..The 90 day kind, going to multiple meetings a day because I have nowhere else to go, showing leadership and guidance to all the newcomers there, particularly to the A List actor patient who will be the cornerstone of the first few episodes and particularly at the end of season anniversary party. I will be the voice that keeps her there, against her and everyone's worst impulses
I will bring the final episode to a rousing hopeful close. My day of release from The Center. I'll climb in my beat up car that somehow will start after 90 days sitting in the parking lot. I'll be driving home, windows down, music blaring, out in the desert toward my former home and I'll get pulled over.
I'll hand the police my license..a picture taken years ago with me all bug eyed and bearded looking like I could be Charles Manson's long lost brother. I'll recognize the policeman. He's pulled me over a dozen times over the years, and taken me in a few times too. But he won't recognize me, all cleaned up and sober
They'll run my license. It will shock them, my picture a spitting image of an insane Charlie Manson. Of course it will come up dirty with all sorts of unpaid this and suspended that. The younger cop I don't know will be all eager to take me in. The older cop will make him wait and come upon me solo.
He'll ask me a couple questions. Mostly he'll be trying to recall if its really me. When he does he won't believe his eyes.
He'll literally be beside himself with what he's seeing before him, I was such a disaster in this town for so long. I'll explain where I've been, my 90 day chip sitting there prominently on my dash. I'll go to hand him my paperwork from the center, showing him I'm aware of my problems when he'll stop me, hand me my license back while telling me he just took a 7 year sobriety cake.
In which he will send me away, saying "whatever you're doing, keep doing it. Hopefully I'll see you at a meeting in town some day soon (and they will cross paths again and become friends as well as help each other out down the road).. To which I will bless him and drive away in to a setting sun out over the desert with some of the coolest music you've ever heard sending us to the closing credits and our show's
Closing PSA scene.. giving numbers to call if you're having difficulty
When I return, I'll come back to my old apartment, 90 days untouched by another human. Triggerville I will deem it. I will walk in and walk right out and immediately call one of the counselors who will send up Serenity Sam to help me navigate the scene
Notes on the door, a phone machine full of drug messages, the stench of a an apartment in full decay.
Paraphernalia everywhere, drug remnants..the place is a grim reminder of his past life..
Serenity Sam will call some of the House guys to bring a truck and some trash bags
Things are missing. Bartered everything for drugs
Phone
keeps wringing...dealers, hookers, partiers... keep trying to get him
high.. NEVER UNDERSTOOD HOW IMPORTANT I was to the underground economy
He didn't realize how important he was to the underground economy as people show up looking for Jake for all sorts of things..Things they want from Jake, stuff they say Jake owes them.. It will all get cleaned up in time if he stays clean. His early recovery life will be one giant minefield. He'll owe money, he'll need representation to cover his legal fees...he'll have little. His former dealer/smuggling friends will keep reaching out to him to go on one more run. To clear up his debts, to make one more big hit.
He'll dance with the thoughts, until the moment of decision, where he threatens his cohorts if they ever call him again he'll turn them in to the police. Powerful scene about saying no to going back to his old way of life.
He'll look for work. There will be little for former cons with drug rapsheets. Job Interview: Ask me why I should hire you over the person without a felony on their record..Umm, I can't
The sober living house will have work for him. Eventually he'll look back to The Center for employment.
Show how once one gets in to the system, their future employability and housing are burdened
What kind of jobs are available for drug felons turned sober... Drug counselor
Nobody visited him during his time in The Center. Only people who checked in were customers wanting to know when he's getting out so they could score. Shows how far one has to go when they hit bottom.
He'll have to go to the hospital for some reason (car accident, appendix, something) The outpouring of support from AA'ers will overwhelm him
He will date. Love as a newcomer. Rich terrain to explore
His parents will have disowned him years ago..Too heartbreaking.. Very simple people (little like him).. Just want him to be ok.. He will make attempts to reconnect with them. Mixed responses at first.
Eventually they will give him his first cake (Strong)
XXXXXXX
He will be the first to graduate... The full graduation ceremony for the CENTER will need to be created.. But they will sing him off with Amazing Grace.. who saved a wretch like me
His Final Meal.. Will be his choice.. The Chef will be all about it
Will introduce us to the After Care Counselor and what awaits him
Will have important conversation with actress.. After everyone else has failed to convince her to stay, he will say the right things to her, foreshadowing that he has a gift for recovery counseling without
Will circle back toward The Center for work
Will take over managing the sober Living house that Sam will abdicate...while going to school for his drug and alcohol counselor's license.. he will be the paragon of recovery...he will do the work..we will see the work, the struggles, the battle to relapse, the old triggers, he will be the embodiment of hope..
He will try to date... I don't want to move to Argentina
He will work the steps... Amends will be complicated. Some will accept/some not so..
His parents will enter the picture
He will be asked to sponsor someone..
everything is a struggle
Has a couple scenes at the CENTER before leaving.. His last meal, his after-care meeting. His Graduation ceremony. Was going to do it in the morning, but they chose to do it at night (COO needs the bed)
Out take Counselor and Him talk... IMPORTANT
He drove himself to the Center. Nobody would come get him.
His Apartment is in a hot complex... Lots of activity, lots of police, people getting high all the time.. They're will be police activity, they're will be overdoses.. He'll need to get out of there. Eventually finds his way over to maybe his sponsor's couch which could get weird, or to a SOBER LIVING HOUSE and show all that song and dance
He will be our AA from the beginning character
They nominate him to be Treasurer... You don't wanna give me the money.
the baskets ended up with me..I was like, cool, I get paid for this too? then all these men started giving me their numbers.. was this some homosexual cult like place
Newcomer car
picking guys up for meetings
Dating in the first year (its the one thing he'll do wrong) Great way to get to know your spponsor
He will have a bad experience with his first sponsor when Sam eventually relapses and passes IMP.. Nobody can get you sober..you must do the work....Just because people get sober doesn't mean they are automatically good people.. Actually far from it. Reality is if you're not walking the walking, it rarely ends well
Comment from aftercare counselor: You'll likely be the only person from AA many people will ever come in contact with.. Represent!!
Practice these principles in all our affairs
SUPER HANDY
NEWCOMERS MEETING... He Goes to all the different kinds of meetings the first few days.. He's got nothing better to do
Sees someone he used to party with from the old days at first meeting.. Guy comes in late talking a bunch)
On GR.. Maybe disability, knows how to use the system, was able to get lots of aid to get in to the Center... Been using the system for long time... Food stamps, GR, everything
Doesn't know anyone in recovery.. Has never been to a meeting.
"I'm here to sign up" and other humorous vignettes
