Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic

There are approximately 1/2 million preteen

and teenage alcoholics in this country today,

and the number is growing.

Three out of every four teenagers do some drinking.

One out of 20 has a serious drinking problem.

One in 10 will become an alcoholic.

Alcohol-related arrests

of young people have increased 700% in the past four years.

It may take an adult 15 years to become an alcoholic.

It takes a teenager 15 months.

You find them in schools,

on the beach, in your own home.

This is Sarah Travis.

She's 15 years old.

She's an alcoholic

How ya doing, Sarah?

Not so good, how 'bout you?

Oh okay.

Oh, it's so wonderful to bring to him that way.

Yeah, it is.

- Wouldn't you say so? - Sarah, how do you

like your new school?

- It's okay. - I'll bet you're making

- tons of new friends. - How 'bout you get us

a couple of fresh ones, will ya, honey?

- Hi, honey. - You're so cute.

How ya doing in school, huh?

- He's cute. - You know, JoAnne,

she looks like you.

Hey, how does it feel to be a grandmother, huh?

Fine, since Liz Taylor made it fashionable.

Yeah but Liz Taylor didn't let herself

become a babysitter, right?

- Right. - Well, that was her loss.

Nancy can leave him with us

anytime she wants to. Oh!

She has your smile.

It's he not her.

That's he.

Hey, look at this little boy.

Wayne?

Mom, Mom I think he needs changing.

Can I change him?

Do you want to honey?

He's my nephew, isn't he?

I'll bet you're as glad to be out of there as I am, huh?

Did they ask you the same dumb questions they asked me?

How do you like your new school?

Nice girl like you must be dating lots of boys.

I mean, how would they like it if I asked them

if they were having any good love affairs lately?

Well, I promise you,

when you grow up I'll never ask you

how you like your new school.

Okay?

Sarah, Matt wants to introduce you to Mr. Peterson.

See what I mean?

Oh honey, come on, please try to make a good impression.

You know how important this is to Matt.

Sarah, Sarah, honey,

I don't think you've met Mr. Peterson.

You know, his son goes to the same high school as you.

Ray, Ray Peterson, have you met him?

I don't think so.

Well, you will, but you gotta watch out for him.

I know he's my son

but I still feel it's my duty to warn you.

He, uh, well, you know,

comes on a little strong with the girls,

but he's a nice kid.

I don't want to think anything of it.

You know, he doesn't smoke dope, doesn't eat pills.

Oh, I'll get that.

Oh Matt, you finished with that?

Thanks.

Well, how about it, Sarah?

Shall I, shall I give Ray your phone number?

Well, actually, Mr. Peterson,

I don't really like blind dates.

I'm sure Ray doesn't either.

Mm, okay, can I at least buy you a drink?

You can have a drink,

because I made Matt a vice president.

She could have a drink

to help celebrate Matt becoming vice president,

- can't she? - Sure.

She can have anything she wants,

as long as it's ginger ale.

Well, mother knows best,

so ginger ale, it's gonna be.

Here we go, a little of that right there,

and a little somethin' to help the medicine go down.

Bob, where are you goin'?

I want to ask you about that,

I want to ask you about that airport contract.

You must hate nights like this.

Like what?

These parties, you know, serving all these people.

No, it's not so bad

Come on.

Okay.

It's not my favorite way to spend an evening,

but like the man says, that's what I'm paid for.

Okay.

Go out and earn some money.

- Thanks, baby. - Okay.

Sarah, is that all you're eating for breakfast?

Oh, Matt, that must have been some terrific party.

You know, I think we went through two cases of scotch.

Here, this'll help.

And this.

Sarah, isn't this the day you try out

- for the glee club? - Mm-hmm.

Did you pick out what you're gonna sing?

Not yet.

Did you see your boss?

Did you see old million-dollar Peterson trying

to make it out to his silver-gray limousine.

What about you Mrs. What's-Her-Name?

What about her?

That lady holds her liquor like a broken glass.

Too bad she doesn't have your hollow leg.

Complaining?

No, impressed.

I've never seen a man drink so much and still be able

to do 40 push-ups before bed.

Come on, Marilyn, hurry up!

Hey, come on, come on, get in here.

Come on, Marilyn, look, you're gonna make us late.

Come on, get with it!

Oh, look, Marilyn, come on already.

Come on, we've gotta hit the road.

You'll be fine, love.

You'll like it here.

You just wait and see.

I sure hope so.

Now go on to school, baby.

Okay, bye.

Bye.

- Hey, she's really good. - She's all right.

- Okay. - That's fine, Judy, great.

That's very good.

Now you know, glee club meets Tuesdays and Thursdays

at noon, okay?

- Oh sure. - All right.

Let's see, Sarah Travis is next.

Uh, Sarah Travis, is she here?

Yeah.

Well, if you're not ready, Sarah,

we can come back to you.

No, I'm ready.

- Could you hold these? - Mm-hmm.

Thanks.

Okay, thank you.

- Here you go. - Oh thank you, Lisa.

Could you start again, please?

Thank you for trying out, Sarah.

Um, Harriet Bernstein is next.

If I could just try once more.

Oh you do that,

but you come back and see us next semester, okay?

Harriet Bernstein.

All right.

You coming in or not?

Hello, Richard Travis's room, please.

But he's got to be there.

Can you ring the lobby?

But he's got to be around.

No, no messages.

Daddy.

Hi, I've got a delivery for Mrs. Hodges.

Oh, I'll take it.

What is it? I'm sorry, pal.

I can't leave it with you.

It's booze.

- Oh. - Is your mom home?

Yeah, come on in.

She's in the shower.

Delivery from the liquor store, Mom!

What do we do, huh?

Okay.

She said leave it on the dining room table.

The money's in there.

Okay, that's $8.73 with the tax.

Well, if he's not in his room,

can you try the restaurant, please?

I know it's a long distance call,

but you can take it out of my allowance.

Oh honey, you know that's not necessary.

You can call your father, anytime you want.

But you can't expect him to come all the way back

from San Francisco just because...

He'll come.