Friendship

 

Yesterday I had lunch with Scott Carson. Scott was my business mentor from 1977-1985 and his willingness to let me learn everything in his manufacturing business set the tone for my entire career. It seemed fitting he would reach out to me for lunch in the early days of my retirement.

We ate Mexican food and talked for 2 hours. I told him about my morning tears and my attempt to get rid of the negative words I had stored up. I gave him an example about someone last year telling me,  “It’s obvious you are not vice president material.” Scott made me laugh aloud with his response, “I hope you told him he was right… that you are president material.” That comment effectively wiped out the negative comment I had stored up.

I enjoyed catching up with Scott and hearing about how each of his family members are faring these days. I am so glad he has stayed in touch over the years. His friendship is a blessing. I asked him why he let me try whatever tasks I wanted to while working for him. He responded (paraphrasing here), “I thought that if someone could do it better than me or was smarter it was good for the company.”

One story I have kept in my head all  these years happened during a business downturn in the early 1980s. Scott drove a van that was old. It needed engine repairs that cost a bundle. I remember asking the operations manager, “Why doesn’t Scott just buy a new van?” The response, “He doesn’t think it would be right to drive up in a new vehicle. It would demoralize the people working here to see him driving a new car when we all are on a 5% pay reduction.” Working for Scott set the standard for all my subsequent employers. The bar was pretty damn high.

Yesterday afternoon, I received a text from my close friend, Kim Farina, asking if I was doing okay as she had read my blog and was concerned about me. I responded that I was feeling great! We met up for margaritas and appetizers and loads of conversation.

 Today I had a nice long lunch with another close friend, Ginger Burden. We have been friends since 1979 when we met working for Scottdel (the company Scott Carson managed at the time. The company name came from the merging of Scott’s two grandfather’s first names).

Caring, kind, and funny friends are a blessing. Now that I am retired, I can have two-hour lunches or margaritas in the evening without having to wait until the weekend.

Yes, I was a bit tearful yesterday and I am grateful that I could begin the process of purging past hurts. It’s time to keep moving forward. Surrounded by friends who lift me up.

P.S. If you leave a comment. Please include your first name at the end so I know which one of my anonymous friends are writing...