Carl Butler was the host of AA meetings. Mel Burton arrived at a hall for the AA meeting, and was stopped by Carl when she started having second thoughts and decided to leave. She realised that the meeting had ended, but Carl offered to stay longer to talk with her. Mel was left feeling awkward as Carl attempted to get her to open up. Carl told Mel that he snuck into pubs at fifteen and ended up becoming an alcoholic, which he realised when he began University. He realised that he was rewarding or comforting himself with alcohol whenever he passed or failed an exam. After drink-driving, Carl caused an accident and left people seriously injured except himself, deciding to get help.
Packing down the hall with Mel, Carl revealed that the first time he tried going sober lasted a day and a half, but this time he had managed to be sober since Christmas Day 2000. He gave Mel advice on how to start trying to get clean: avoid bars and cut off her drinking buddies. Mel struggled with the thought as it would mean cutting off her best friend O.B. He also advised her to attend meetings, telling her that he had confidence in her.