Matt Talbot's Game 7 at the Vineyard

Greetings from All Day Paul! Greetings from All Day Paul! On his third retreat but already a hall of famer in my book. He tells me he’s already excited about what I’m going to write about. He is just so sweet. But that’s a lot of pressure. We just got here. I just have to start throwing strikes. He hopes I remember he supplied the first hug. I don’t know how to break it to him that I’ve hugged other men already on my way in. I’m so ashamed, I stay silent.

Hall of famers not with us this weekend (some for valid reasons, others for their own reasons): Scott, Steve Stokes, Bradford, Monty, Bobby and Ralston. Some have passed to the big game in the sky. I think of all my former teammates not pitching or hitting any longer. Graham, OB, Bob Burns, Art in heaven, Jersey Jack, brother Schmoul, Alvaro, young Nick. Aho Mitakye Oyasin. We are all related. Too many to name unfortunately. That’s what happens when you stick around for a long time. You get old, you die old or you don’t. Glad I’m on this side of the dirt as Thomas says to me soon.

This is set to be our last retreat here at the Vina as tariffs are driving up the prices for serenity at near record percentages. We are headed back to Oceanside in the spring, near where it all started.
Jeff and Ronnie are here! Jeff has a new Matt Talbot hat for me saved. I have to break it to him later that my head is literally and quite possible figuratively, too large for this beautifully designed trucker cap. Strike two.

A talk with Thomas about nearly striking out on his harrowing near death experience. Truly lucky to be upright and walking and talking. Let alone laughing and retreating.

Dinner with the boys and sitting with the boys. New guy Matt has a Clairemont Surf Shop t-shirt on where I had my first bike stolen. I don’t think he had anything to do with it, though it may warrant further investigation. I find out I went to high school with his wife and bro in law. In fact I think I did some heavy partying with his bro in law. My memory of 1983-87 are a tad fuzzy for some reason.

I tell the story to Shane of getting sober at 22 and being told to put the shovel down and stop digging. Tell the truth to one person. Don’t drink. Don’t do drugs between meetings. Watch life change. I do and it does.

Mark talks about retirement and not selling cars for a living. He never sold cars but I mistake him for living a different life apparently. He gently gets my facts straight and tells me about the joys and challenges of being a caretaker for his sober mom, who is universally beloved by all who cross Shirley’s path. Several men at the dinner table corroborate this fact. Mark says he must take after his dad.

Trevor is here. Grizzled veteran of nearly three retreats now. He’s practically running shit. He handed me a token that I am supposed to give to GGG tomorrow night?! It’s actually a really nice one too. I wonder if Gregg instructed him to spare no expense on the token? It is for XXV so I guess that’s a big deal.

I met Gregg 22 years ago in October 2003. My first retreat. I was scared shitless to be there. Not really sure what I was scared of but there I was. Shaking and all alone. Gregg took me in and comforted me with humility love and kindness. Oh, maybe a touch of sarcasm, self deprecation and a few heaping scoops of humor/ insanity. He knew how to reach this alcoholic. Laughter. At him or with him. Till our stomachs felt like we did the abs of steel workout. More about him later though. I don’t want to heap too much praise on his narrow shoulders this early in the game.

He does mention the retreat leader is running late and that, I will like this, his dog has a life threatening illness he’s dealing with that’s holding him up. Oh Gregg, you know me all too well. If there’s one thing I love it’s a life threatening illness dog story…

I’m rooming with TO. Terry O’ Regan. My buddy who told one of the greatest craziest stories I have ever heard. Well, until about 3 hours ago maybe.

Fifteen years ago, our buddy Steve Ralston coaxed him gently into putting us all up in his house in the desert, then riding bikes across said desert 100 miles. Since he had the house, all Terry needed was a bike! Somehow he rode that Battlestar Galactica spaceship looking bike of his and has been riding ever since.

He told his story to us and I kept saying, “And then you got sober? And then you got sober?” Like 17 times. A remarkable tale. A remarkable recovery. How he survived is beyond words. That he has become the man he is now is a testament to his hard work and love. For the program. For his sponsees. For adventure. For women. It’s going to be a wild weekend!

Retreat leader is running late so the first meeting is pushed back 30 minutes. Make that 60. I ask Gregg if I can get a refund of some kind. We’ll discuss it more later. We’ll see if this guy is worth the wait. No pressure whatsoever. 

I see my friend John and I am happy. He was too late for dinner but so grateful he’s alive and well and here with us now. We talk baseball and Lou Brock and Tony Gwynn and laugh. The meeting is about to start! Michael announces the leader has arrived!! Gregg is escorting him down to the meeting room as we speak.

Ok, it’s now 11pm. I’m in from the meeting and boy. What an adventure. I don’t know where to start. Or end. Seriously. I’m not sure what just happened. We started late but it was worth the wait. No refunds asked for nor required.

Matt Talbot Day 2/3

Gregg started in the usual fashion. What to do, what not to do. Put your linens somewhere down the hall later and put your electronic phone away and don’t type on an iPad while people are speaking and turn in your keys! Jeff can’t leave. Trevor might not be able to either. Possibly Michael as well, actually. Shirking responsibilities is what I hear.

We are ready for the World Series Naked Men’s Retreat. Gregg thanks Nick for isolating himself in another building far away from all of us. The meeting hasn’t started yet and Nick is throwing 98 warming up in the bullpen.

Gregg reminds us all how hard we laughed when we first met. The camaraderie and joy at laughing at the pain of others. Our specialty. As previously stated, mostly at Gregg.  but sometimes WITH Gregg.
Our leader is late and just back from a honeymoon in Japan? Wow. Maybe he’s tired from the long flight and time change? Right…. I don’t get it. Oh!!! I get it!!

Gregg introduces our leader, Josh S and we are off on a Rocketship recovery adventure.
Breakfast and getting ready for our first meeting. We walk down to the room and first time retreater Ben introduces himself. An San Diego boy who moved away to Sonoma and is here on his first retreat! He talks about seeing me take a token at Water Walkers once and how amazing I was. Something like that I forget the details but you get the gist of it. I like him right away. His smile is wide and genuine. I tell him about my first retreat and my reluctance to go. About making lifelong friends despite my best thinking and wishes. His sobriety day is right around the corner. 11-11-06. Veterans Day. I tell him my grandfather who was killed in the Hurtgen Forest in WWII was named Ben. The father my mother never knew. The man my grandma always told me I was most like.