Dear Annabel,
If I may be presumptuous —
Like most of the Front Range we’re currently watching your son John pull a series of minor and major league criminal activities predicated on his abundant use of alcohol and controlled substances.
When I read The Denver Broncos websites, you people are great champions of raising funds to fight women’s breast cancer, feeding hungry children and with the help of guys like Brandon Marshall, defeat police violence.
But it is my duty as a recovering addict and alcoholic (32 years on last Easter Sunday), so I’m going to do something that most people in recovery say is a big “no no”; I’m going to take your son’s inventory. According to a lot of the unwritten rules in sobriety taking another man’s inventory means to judge him, so here goes.
Absolutely every single thing that I have learned about treating alcoholics and addicts, you and your family have done the complete opposite.
How much money that could have gone to fight breast cancer, police violence and hunger have you paid our friend Harvey Steinberg? I believe Harvey’s ordered a second Mercedes.
Do you have the slightest notion of what “enable” means?
You have enabled the “blood of the city” to time and time again do the wrong thing.
When he told the Glendale cops he’s the owner of the Denver Broncos, and (I don’t know what this will get you) a friend of the mayor — you have the wrong town’s mayor. If he meant Hancock, did they go to Players and Sugars? But I repeat myself. You’re putting on a seminar of how not to act as caring parents.
The late Bob Coté, founder of Step 13 had a motto. It went like this, “You want to help them? Don’t help them.”
You have bailed John Boy out of legal troubles for apparently more than a decade. According to court records he was charged with drug paraphernalia in Arapahoe County — charges dismissed, thank you Harvey.
Next, driving drunk in Boulder, the wrong way on a one-way street. Again, reduced to impaired. Do we tip the hat to Harvey again?
Finally, the 9-1-1 call from the girlfriend where apparently John had shoved her against the wall. What a funster. Also telling 9-1-1 nothing is wrong.
And now pulling an O.J. in a high-speed chase in San Luis Obispo County. And again, telling the highway patrolman he was trying to talk his dad out of selling the team. Kind of makes you proud doesn’t it.
Well apparently John has given himself up in Glendale. And again been bailed out.
As I write this I don’t know the outcome of it all, but I can almost guarantee to you and all the readers it will get worse.
Please take your son to Step 13 sober. Knock on the door, when they answer push him inside. Say I’ll see you in a year. If not it’s just a question of time. He’ll turn up again. On a serious note, remember this — alcohol and drug addictions are degenerative. They’re worse tomorrow than they are today.
I leave tomorrow for Sturgis on the Haj, but I’d be willing to bet lunch, since you got your darling son out of Glendale he’s at least had a couple of drunks. Good luck. I’m easy to find. When you’re sick of paying Harvey, give me a call.
— Peter Boyles
