Pete is an alcoholic who had his first drink at age 13. Despite being a child of alcoholics in recovery, who grew up surrounded by the precepts of the “the program” he still became one himself. His drinking was relentless, to the point he viewed it as a spiritual experience. He couldn’t identify with other kids in school, and was increasingly alone and self-conscious. On an overseas trip with older students, he got drunk in order to please everyone with him. He would find himself kicked out of school and unwilling to stop drinking.