Fornits
Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform => Straight, Inc. and Derivatives => Topic started by: Woof-a-Doof on September 21, 2004, 12:13:00 PM
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Just curious to know who all are survivors during the Milton Roy Building and Morgan Yacht Building daze.
My Intake Date: January 21st, 1978
Just found this board and the yahoo group...Gawd knows why I did a search on Staight after all this time. Not really sure if I am glad I did, or not. Afraid it might just all be a big can of worms...but then again, you folkz are probably the only ones that know what it was like.
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Hey woofadoof. I was in Morgan Yacht building 78 - 80. I hated it and hated the people who worked there. Glad you found the site. Looking forward to reading posts from you.
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On 2004-09-21 09:19:00, kpickle39 wrote:
"Hey woofadoof. I was in Morgan Yacht building 78 - 80. I hated it and hated the people who worked there. Glad you found the site. Looking forward to reading posts from you."
Thanks...I appreciate the welcome!
I remember so many things about the Morgan Yacht Building, then again it all seems like a blurr. The un-bearble heat, the freezing cold, the shards of fiber-glass on the floors, the "think room/green room" and I rember M-80's being thrown in the bay doors during open meetings.
I try and fool myself into thinking I harbor no grudges, but thats a lie. I have always thought of myself as a pretty easy going kinda-guy, but the seething rage I have contradicts that. I would love to point that rage at one person, one event, or just one instance...but I haven't been able to.
I have a real distaste for the rage, it seems almost interwoven thru much of my existance...I don't remember having rage prior to January 21st 1978. I have spoken with folkz about it, but it remains...not always apparent, but still churning beneath the surface.
Don't get me wrong, in all outward appearances I am a normal person...I walk, talk, chew gum at the same time...but far from "normal". I have been called "intense", "passionate" and a plethora of other adjectives. But fact is, I am just flat out angry...I have been ripped off, I have been robbed and most of the crap I was suppossed to learn as a teen...I never learned, because I was learning whatever it was I was being taught in Straight.
Nuff ranting for now....Thanks again!
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I was in Morgan Yacht in 73/74 when it was the seed.
No better then...
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Yup, Probably was there same time as me.
Mark Bell 78-79 14 months on program 6 months
graduate to comply with rules.(just to show I could do it). Had a beer following day. One reason I stayed the whole time there was the people I met at straight as well as some of the staff members there. Alot of good friends I met there.
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My intake: Aug 1978 at Milton Roy
Lynne M. (Hi Mark, I remember you.)
I was 3 months from 18 when I got there, and at first I thought I must be on Candid Camera or something (yes, that WOULD have been so much funnier). I was there 11 months, and I never once saw anything illegal or abusive happen.
It sucked in major ways, but if I look at some of the positions I but myself in before I got there....I was far safer in Straight than left to my own devices at that point in time.
I learned a lot and in the end - I just took the good there was and left the bad behind me when I completed the program. The single most positive thing about the whole experience was that it made me take a look at myself - something a lot of people never learn how to do - and I am the better for that.
Some of the "principles" that were taught were just utter bullshit, in my opinion. For example:
We girls were told over and over again that if you had ever had sex, it must have been because you thought of yourself as trash. ::drummer::
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Mark Bell....no shit! A serious blast from the past!
Lynne M, I am pretty sure I know who you are, hang out with the Ward Family? Know Chuck C., Rodney H.? How about our boy 85DJ (you will remember...no doubt. Mark Bell, you know 85DJ also...Speaking of, where is he, hadnt heard from him in a while.
Just waking up, too much to articulate. I will reply with a little more later!
Whata trip![ This Message was edited by: Woof-a-Doof on 2005-04-30 04:57 ]
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Mark Bell--- Probably my strongest memories of you is sitting in group, stoic...with that 1000
yard stare and your legs bouncing like pistons,
non stop. I also remember times when the group would be whipped up into a frenzy, everyone "motavated", arms flailing, fingers snapping, seats sliding all over the place and the air filled with the sounds of grunting and that annoying sound that Arnold Horshack from "Welcome Back Kotter" Ooooh Oooh Ooooh would fill the warehouse. And you would simply...not often, but would simply raise your
arm, seemingly half interested. And staff would
do cartwheels to call on you. I guess considering ya only "related" once a month, it was the right thing to do.
I also remember you being signifficantly larger
than the vast majority of us. Your hieght and
your stoic like demeaner, quite honestly scared
the shit out of most of us...silent river runs
deep. Ya always seem to be capable of exploding
and creating massive carnage...but as I recall ya never did.
However I do have a memory of you, at least I
think it was you with a chair in each hand,
twirling yourself (and the chairs) to keep people at bay. There was such a to do over the entire incident that Ms. Pete herself had to come out to the group room to "de-escalate" you. And it worked as I recall.
Thanks to 85DJ (85 Day Jerk....do a search here
on him...you will remember him) I was reminded that we also spent time in a home (the Patterson home)...seems I was just started over, or on a refresher or something. Those memories are less than clear. Another memory I have, and I am not sure of it's accuracy, but I also think we spent time in the Cantrel home as well.
In thinking back, you are of the top 10 people I
remember, in good standing. I think thats
probably because you were amoung the few of us at the time that thought it was all bullshit, and were not afraid to say it was all bullshit. We always seemed to sense who was full of shit, ya know, the brown noses, the "kiss-asses", those kinds. I think we all had the sense of the
undercurrent of defiance instilled within you.
You were a person I respected and admired from a distance. Because you were, um...less than aproachable, I remember trying to figure
you out. I knew, instinctively perhaps,(or the
fact we stayed in the same home) that your bad
ass persona was very real, but that there was
much much more to you. And I remember thinking that you somehow knew the difference between the two. You were very skilled in balancing the two, you made an impression!
Anonymous (Lynne M)--- Although my memories of you are not as plentifull as they are with Mark Bell, for obvious reasons. I do however remember you being hyper-intelligent.
After I replied yesterday morning, I spent the
better part of the day thinking this woman and
I have locked horns before. I had this annoying
sense that you and I used to engage in (at the
time) some type of cerebral jousting.
Now that all maybe be due to my fragmented memory, or it maybe in responce to your post.
For example, you said, "I just took the good there was and left the bad behind me when I
completed the program." Ok, I don't doubt you.
But, how did you do that? How, did you leave
the "bad"? To me, this is an inconcievable idea,
when almost daily I don't confront a fear or
insecurity that I can trace it's etiology directly to Straight Inc.
You said, "No harm, No foul"---your experience,
I know. But damn, it felt like a slap in the face when I read those words. I am trying to
differentalize your experience from my own and
remain calm. (difficult at best)
Like yourself, I also learned that there is a time and a place to speak ones mind. Speaking
strictly for myself, I have learned that speaking
my mind is often inappropriate under any circumstance. I can trace that survival technique back to Straight and give a 100 situations that served as a building blocks for the need of that, as a survival skill. How does that make me a better person?
I also tripped out when you discussed the concept of being made to "take a look" at oneself. Hostile, loveless, conforntational theraphy (if you can really call it theraphy) not only made us look at ourselves, but we had to scramble to come up with the right answer, lest we face the wrath of the group and subsequent reactions/concequences from the staff.
Think about it, is a successful student afraid/terrified of thier teacher? The entire concept was/is insaine. I have said it before, and I think it is worth mentioning again. I was like freshly poured cement when I entered Straight Inc. and then a buncha punks fucked with the cement as it was curing, now those marks are perminate. No harm, no foul...bullshit (in my experience)
I think it is true that many people do not get a chance, or learn to look at them selves. And I would agree that that is a shame. But I have found it ultra simple by simply asking, "Who am I?" And then thru a process of negation find that which I am...and abide in that. See, no life long bullshit baggage to schlep around. No humiliation, no fears, no intimidation, and no harm, no foul.
My apologises if I seemed to unleash on your post, this was not my intent. Apparently, you have also made quite the impression on me. If the sense I had about us engaging in spirited debate in the past is true, then we are certainly off to a good start at a continuance of such a debate. Ironic thing is, you may not even be the person who I think you are.
I wish no harm...Namaste
(http://http://www.woof-a-doof.com/Character/_vBulk-FACE-PS.jpg)
Just testing to see if one of my images would appear if I followed directions :grin:
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Well Scott you certainly bring back some memories from that time. Hope you are doing well.
Just looked at a post that showed Sue Cookson's prison picture. Her life has faired alot worse.
Could barely see the young Sue in the picture.
On a lighter note I haven't talked with Brett Patterson in 15 years. Although I moved down to Bradenton in 87 after a divorce. I rented his Grandmothers Trailer she had next to her house on the Bradenton river. I ended up getting a DUI and wrecked my car in St. Pete. Brett bailed me out and had a cold Bud and a joint waiting for me in the car. I later moved back to Atlanta, had some ups and downs ( Its called Life people!)
I worked at Lucent technologies as an Engineer for 6 years until laid off. Now working for the Railroad. My only advise about the Straight time we all endured is that no one can tell you what is right or true in going through this life. You pretty much know inside what is the correct path to take. As I've said before I gave up a couple of summers to go through the program (pretty hard choice at that age!) But I don't regret some of the people I've met there. I will probably run into some of them again along the way. Until later Mark
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It was a memorable open meeting for me that warm December night (we were in Florida)when you made home. I myself had made home only a month and a half earlier and you were already a fixture in my dad's home, the infamous Patterson Horizons.
I can never forget how you stood up once your mom had the microphone and boomed "Coming Home!" like you were ready to lead a calvary charge and then you did something that blew everyone's mind that night. You WALKED ALL THE WAY TO YOUR MOM.... Damn but that was a classic!! and then when you got there you hugged her and lifted her off the ground! You stayed a few more days at our house and then you moved to another foster home.
I'll also always remember that bitchin Camaro you had and the time we did a few donuts at Tyrone Mall then shot over to Sambo's with Aerosmith blasting that song "Nobody's Fault."
Write me at [email protected] and I'll let you know how to reach some of the others. Oh, this is Bob Patterson by the way. I am so glad you finally found the site. Take care, 85DJ
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Mark, I am not Scott, I am Dave A. If ya think back to the open meetings as 85DJ has (which has triggered many memories in itself), my parents always called me and still call me Mr. D.
Funny ya mentioned Sue Cookson, our lives have crossed many times since our time in Straight. She and I always seemed to click! She attended my graduation from boot camp and came with all the "fixins" for a weekend after bootcamp. Another time she and I dropped some blotter and had the greatest trip I have ever had, well, maybe one of the most memorable. Those were wild times, no doubt! I am glad ya mentioned her, I did a lil more digging thru FL DOC and got the address, will sit down and write her.
Brett Patterson, I got a few memories about Brett, none bad. But my memory around the circumstances of him leaving staff are clouded.
I remember the nite you made "home" also, I agree with 85DJ, it was "classic". I can still in my minds eye see ya just kinda lumbering across that room. It was just the opposite of what 'everyone did'. I do recall, there was a string of guys yelling "COMING HOME" and getting the open meeting all fired up...and of course the wern't "GOING HOME" at all. Kinda like 85DJ's classic of hollering out "GUY'S MEDICATION" and a 1/3 of the group get up and herd towards the back of the group.
There were some pretty wild open meetings then, remember the woman that used to sing to her son and daughter, the McPhersons? Oh man, that reminds me of the newcomer I had at the time, he was the "Open Meeting Whacker", which was the moniker that the staff gave him. I will never forget it, right toward the end of some group in the "carpet room" staff came into the group with a "MI book" and stood me up and asked if I had been reading my newcomers MI's...which I hadn't then they stood up my newcomer and ripped into him for whacking off during the open meeting with that woman as his um...muse. It just blows my mind to this day that that happened...
I imagine it was a pretty tough choice to make at that age, I personally didn't have the choice. I agree that no one person, or group of people can say was true/false and one idea that fits all.
I don't regret alot of people I met there, however there are those others. So much time has passed and i just don't seem to have the fight in me to be all pissed off. I was for a long time, very pissed off and consumed with, I dunno, alot of hate towards alot of people.
I am not altogether convinced aging, or direct efforts to forgive are the reason for me cooling down, but I have...to a degree.
I am glad ya found the site also!
85DJ, did ya get your modem and isp issues squared away yet, we gonna see more of ya?
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Just got back in town. I have been remembering a lot more from almost 30 yrs past.
Mr. D if I remember correctly you were one of the people that was subjected to the straight treatment that was truly unfair. You seemed to me to be completly normal and your parents wasted alot of money and your childhood for whatever crap was sold to them by the staff!
Bob Patterson, If my memory banks are not totally corroded you were not related to Brett and Scott but had a brother named Mike. If I'm correct your username is quite appropriate because you were stubborn as hell!
Gotta go now, be back soon.
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Yeah, that whole program was one big mind warp for me. My "brothers" were adopted by my birth father long after divorcing my mother. She was forced out of the program around the fall of '78 because she was not "economically viable" enough to suit the needs of Executive Staff.
Mike and Scott lived in the home and we were a short drive through Kenneth City to Doug Daly, and Steve Howe's houses. I believe that you went to live at Steve's when you started school at JC or whereever. I hated that damn house!! Nothing in it was mine except all the damn housework. Do you remember that night me and you got into an arguement and I threw the door open in the pouring rain and told you to hit the fuck'n road if you were'nt happy with the way you were being treated? You were one of the priveleged few that got to witness my nervous breakdown first hand.
I think that laugh of yours was what stands out in my mind the most. It was like the laugh of an outlaw that had just broke from a posse, stole the fastest horse, and is sitting in a saloon, drinking the finest whiskey after paying for it with a wooden nickel painted silver.
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Steve Howe was the first oldcomer I had.
He was a good one for me because he always said "Take whatever good you want from the program, and disregard the bullshit." I think he made staff trainee and then screwed up. Probably thought Fuck this I'm young and want to enjoy life a little! Any way I also remember Doug Daley. Wonder what lifes path took both of them.
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Steve Howe was always a mystery. I am pretty sure that he went into the Airforce. There was another guy named Mark Hodges who screwed up over the summer and was there waiting for me when I started school. He came up and wanted to talk after several older straightlings walked away like pussies one day at Dixie Hollins. I at least talked to him. I said something like, "You knew this would happen did'nt you?" "Was it worth it?" I left him standing there with tears of frustration.
I was friends with Doug Daly. We both had the same art class for 2nd period. He had gotten a job at the nearby Winn Dixie and screwed up by drinking stolen beer and huffing Cool Whip of all things! He was so ashamed of himself that he did not show up for Jewelry Class for 2 days and then got into another class or something. He did have someone bring me a note. My dumbass brother snatched the note from me once I got home and was on the phone to Liz Cassidy asking what the best thing to do was. He loaded up his yellow shit mobile to be continued...... (Library only allows 30 minutes and it is busy) anyway, he loaded up that yellow piece of shit Galaxy 500 of his and headed over to "save his life" and what was funny was that him, Rob Lee, Chuck Cannon, were all big-time screw-ups by the following November. Some goody two shoes even confronted me about why I waited for the end of the school day at that 7 step meeting and I was about ready to break a fucking chair over her head. It was Dawn Deshawn I think. Liz stepped in before there was any mayhem. I don't care what anyone says about Liz, she at least hung around after she left staff and always made herself available to help you with whatever was bugging you.
It is so weird how each person that finds this Forum and joins in unlocks a whole new set of memories in me. Like the New Years 1980 party we threw at my house and finally talked my dad to set off this bomb simulator in the back yard. You guys were there for that were'nt you?[ This Message was edited by: 85 Day Jerk on 2005-05-07 09:45 ]
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I was there for the new years explosion. I remember your dad had a used disposable bazooka from Nam.
I remember the Cassidys well. I liked all of them. I hope Liz is still married to Steve Gay. They were both good people to be caught up in the straight daze! I went and saw Jean and Scotty about 15 years ago in Memphis at their program Second Chance. Scotty had cleaned up,shaved and had on a sharp suit! I think the world of them personally but God!, they had incorporated christian slogan and memory verses overlaid on the Straight program. What a nightmare it must have been to go through that program! Jimmy Cassidy had moved there also and was working for the gas dept for Memphis.
Speaking of Jimmy, He was funny as hell! He was best friends with Jeff Ross (remeber him?) When I started drinking beer again after the 6 month followup they thought I was crazy as hell. Of course after a year they were back to burning weed. Liz had a great sense of humour also.
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Straight spin-offs and predecessors still in operation Second Chance, Memphis, Tennessee.
Second Chance in Memphis, TN is an active juvenile therapeutic community which combines Straight-like therapies with Christian living. Its founder, Scotty Cassidy, claims that before opening Second Chance he worked in adolescent drug rehabilitation programs in the Tampa area. There are notes from a Straight staff meeting which mention a Straight official at Straight-St Pete named Scotty Cassidy. A newspaper article mentions that a Scotty Cassidy was scheduled to be the founding director of Straight-Dallas.
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My last contact with steve was in the early '80s. He told me he was selling it all and moving to vegas to be a professinal gambler.
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Cassidy was and is a muthafucker, as was his sis and parents too.
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Another staff member not mentioned here was Amy Wright. She was hot as hell in 79. 7 years later she ballooned up about 250lbs. Internalized self-condemnation? Another staff member that caused me to scratch my head was Doug Hemminger. He became room mates with Dave Searcy and got a permanent done to his hair. Makes one wonder!
Sure glad this shit is long past history!
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Maybe it's distance from that time period, but I don't think of it that often...in great detail. When I see names of, Amy Wright, Doug Hemminger, Dave Searcy and the like, it does seem to validate some fragments of memory, non of which are entirely pleasant. These particular individuals, Doug Hemminger, Criss Castler and others were cruel people.
Once, I developed jock itch from the sweltering heat in the Morgan Yacht building. I went to the medication line and Criss Castler gave me Asorbine Junior. I asked him if he thought it was the right choice, he assured me that it was. Like a fool I applied the Asorbine Junior...that was the most gawd awfull pain I have ever felt on my skin. When I applied it, I almost busted out a stall in the bathroom. It burned for almost 3 hours.
Makes one wonder, did they actually have our best interests in mind? NOT! Like the Anonymous poster said perviously....I am "Sure glad this shit is long past history"
(http://http://www.woof-a-doof.com/images/Characters/Non-Cogito.jpg)
Inconsideratus cogito ergo ego non sum
Latin: I dont think much, therefore I might not be
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I remember Lynn and Scoott, I remember Brett well and still talk to his sister occassionaly (Christie). Good to see you all here. This is margaret heath.
Straight Morgan Yacht survivor and sarasota survivor.
Remember the Red Pole. I have been back to see it and i think ginger has pictures of the morgan yacht that we gave her. I often notice broken beer bottles in front of the morgan yacht and the gandy building when you visit on the weekend.
sue cookson is out of jail and stayed with me for a while to get on her feet, I owed her that as she got me out of straight. As far as I know now she is still in ST. Pete and working and doign better.
margaret heath
to reach me if you wish email the mistress of the board aka "ginger".
Good to see you all again and Im glad your ok and surviving.
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Hey Margaret, I remember you and probably Lynn.
This is M Bell And was in straight at the same time as you were. I am glad to see old names and hear they are doing good. I think I saw a post where you helped Sue Cookson after she got out of prison. That means alot in this old world! Say hello to Sue the next time you see her and tell her to cool down her jets a little. Now is the time to keep a low profile and under the radar! Straight was a trip no doubt and it is interesting that so many people still have such after-effects from it. I just thought everybody(staff included) knew what bullshit it was. For me I have had to deal with emotional issues because of my Mom and step-dad over the years. Straight never was a mind bender for me compared to family issues. I looked at it as a reprieve in fact at 17 years old. Any way best of luck to all of you and I hope life offers its best to you.
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liked your facial hair when you were on 1st phase - I was jealous.
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Wow, Margaret Heath, I remember you. You also had a brother that was locked up with us. I also recall an incident with you and George Ross in the "green room". I never really formed a firm opinion about George Ross other than accepting (use of that term is loose at best) him as a "Senior Staff". But that day in the "green room" sealed the deal. What he did, how he did it...sucked and was wrong. I always felt like you were owed a huge apology, and my guess is that you never got that apology. After all this time, I think about that incident and I still feel horrible about it. How about this...I am sorry Margaret for that day. What was done to you in the name of theraphy was wrong. No one deserves to br treated as you were. I also apologize for knowing what I witnessed was horrible and I failed to report the incident. All of us there that day that witnessed what happened and said or did nothing were wrong. And for this I offer my sincerest apologizes.
Good to hear Sue is out of where she was! If ya see her, let her know I wrote and about 4 days later I saw here that she was released. I suspect I will be recieving the letter back soon. At any rate, tell her hello! As our paths have often crossed in past 25-30+ years I am sure we will again cross paths.
Mark Bell---you ever get back to florida much? I have a packed bowl for ya when ya do...Gimme a holla maybe you , myself and 85DJ can all have a sit down. Shit, maybe we can get a buncha folks from our time period and have a "get together"!
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I don't get down to Florida near as much as I'd like to Dave but raincheck that bowl for sure!!
I would like to move back down there one of these days. [ This Message was edited by: mbell1960 on 2005-06-02 06:04 ]
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amy wrong and mike lived in venice when that life scam was open.funny thing though they lived near the old venice bowl,2 houses down from the biggest heroin/dilaudid spot in the area.ifostered at the pattersons briefly,and at woofadoofs too i think.I used to see amy walking into 33flavors all the time and say shit about her to her face. damn i do miss chuck cannon.i knew him pre/post program,in spite of himself a great guy. i lost track of him when i moved to miami ,then the midwest. ::rocker::