If you are lucky, you will meet someone in your life that changes your life. I was lucky.
In 1995, I found myself across a breakfast table from Charles “Red” Scott. We soon learned, like in the first five seconds, that we were both children of the great state of Texas, both born in the same part of east Texas, Paris, Texas and Tyler, Texas and both attended the University of Texas. Though Red graduated before I was born.
If you are lucky, you will meet someone in your life that changes your life.
Red interviewed me for a job. Not really a job, but a life-long venture, to be a teacher, to be a learner to a very special group of people that I had not met. Yet.
He asked me if I was lucky.
That was his favorite interview question. He told me how his life was changed on the turn of a dime. From a small town in east Texas, he was the president of his high school class. Leader of his class, that automatically earned him a ride at the University of Texas. I would follow a couple of decades later.
His birthday was the same as Texas Independence Day. And Red was independent. I think Red was lucky to be born that day.
And I was lucky to have known Red.
Charles “Red” Scott left us yesterday. He left behind many friends and a loving family. Yesterday, he left me, behind. And from behind, I can only look ahead. We will miss you, Red. I will miss you. You were a great teacher.
In December, the doctors told him not to buy any green bananas. He knew and we knew that life was moving on. As much as we braced for the day, told ourselves it was inevitable, when it came, it came. That brave face, our brave face, stopped and felt the rush of sadness.
Today, I will venture to find the greenest bunch of bananas, and I vow to outlive them, if I can.
Nice. Red was a huge influence for me too especially considering I probably didn’t get more than 10 hours of his time.
Sent from my iPhone Bernard Paul-Hus 954-658-6432
It’s hard to say how many lives he touched. I never even met him but have kept a copy of Red Scott’s Cardinal Rules close by and shared them with colleagues and employees many times. A great mix of hard lessons learned and plain old horse sense.
Thanks Tom.
I was lucky enough to get to meet Red and blessed that he took some time to teach me some very valuable personal and business lessons. He had such a powerful effect on me that when I see the color red I see “Red” and remember those lessons again. God Bless you Red Scott.
I’m sorry for your loss.
Great post today. May his legacy outlast his loved one’s sorrow.
Tom,Red is a blessing for all of us who were privileged to know him and Tom you have expressed the thoughts of many of us beautifully. I’m on my way for the green bananas as today.
Thank you for sharing your memories and experience of Red. I was fortunate to have met him on a few occasions but even luckier when he acted as my TEC 2043 Chairman one month. His presence in my life left an impression that I will forever be thankful. I pray that Red is resting in eternal peace and that God blesses Red and his family.
Thanks, Tom. I too was a huge Red Scott fan. I had the pleasure of knowing of him for many years but I first got to meet him in 2009 while we were honored him here at Paris Junior College as our Distinguished Alumni. I could listen to his stories for hours on end. Though almost 30 year different in our ages, his home was just three blocks from where I grew up in our little town. A busy man, Red met up with several of his Paris High and PJC friends at another classmate’s home in McKinney, Texas where we held a make-shift award ceremony complete with the College’s president and a videographer and photographer!
He told the story of how his dear friend, Dr. Jim Miles, was his campaign manager when he ran for president of the PJC Student Government Association and won! His story only got better when he shared that he received a track scholarship to the College that was the only way he could have afforded to begin his education. And he used his God-given talents well for a lifetime!
Through his kindness, he chose to honor two of his PJC classmates with endowed scholarships. Much like one of his famous quotes from August 1999, ” How much better it is to give than to receive! Service in any form is both generous and beautiful. To just give encouragement, to impart sympathy, to show interest, to banish fear, to build self confidence, or simply to awaken some hope in the hearts of others … NO GREATER SERVICE OR GIFT CAN ONE GIVE!”
A cherished and admired friend lost. But the memories will continue eternally.
Prayers and thoughts to all who called “Red” a friend.