As I mentioned before the move back to Taos was the single most important factor in me leaving the WT. There are a number of reasons, but they have to do with attending high school sport events, a trip to Denver, CO & getting a TV in my room.
When we moved back to Taos (winter of 1982), I was on restriction from Cong. privledges due to my Private Reproof status. However, my dad walked into a hornet's nest. The Cong. was in the midst of planning for a new Hall. This Hall was not the typical boilerplate Hall. There were unique zoning requirements, the first that it had to have the "adobe look." Secondly, a JW architect had moved into the area, and decided to add some unique solar heating technology to the building. So there was a lot of work that needed to be done on the planning stage. Thirdly, the entire Elder Body was removed, and one Elder was DF'ed for issues that had happened prior to our return. So my Dad walks into this situation, knowing nothing of building (the one elder in charge of the building committe who knew anything about building was DF'ed), having to manage every element of the day-to-day business of the Hall. He rant the TMS, handled all the parts in on the Service Meeting that required an Elder, conducted the WT study, and delivered a number of the public talks. Take over the business from my sick and elderly grandparents. He finally got some of the other Congs. to send Elders up to give the Public Talks, but had to practically beg people to show some evidence of hospitality and host these families for lunch. Finally, after about 5 months of this, the Circuit Overseer, Billy Ford. An obnoxious redneck, with the intelligence of a june bug, finally decided that my dad needed help, or as this redneck would say, "He'p."
What was sent was no better. They sent an obnoxious and overbearing jerk named Wes Cheatham. Cheatham had been on a construction crew at Bethel. He was also being groomed for the Circuit work. He and my dad got along great. They were both "Organization men," and I saw my dad transform into an arrogant jackass just like Wes Cheatham. It was during the reign fo these two that going to any sporting event was outlawed. The reason? Everyone goes and gets drunk afterward. They cultivate the spirit of competition. You have to salute the flag. So the only fun thing to do, other than going to a movie was ripped for the R&F of the Cong. The weekly Sunday night roller skating outings were discouraged, because people were coupling up, and that could lead to fornication. This led to a number of the teens to start sneaking out to the various campgrounds and getting high or drinking.
During this time, the Hall got built, and a whole group of MS's got promoted to Elder. Cheatham finally got promoted to a sub CO, and I think finally became a CO. It was because of how dad handled the situation that he was asked to teach the Kingdom Ministry School for the elders in New Mexico. His traing for this school was held in Denver, CO, and it was here that my exodus from the WT$ began in earnest.