I remember being a teenager in private school. I’d look around on parent day and could see the who’s who in global economics and blue-blood wealth. I didn’t come from money, my father was a teacher at the private school (which shall remain nameless) in which I attended therefore the $20,000 tuition was waived for my education and everyone knew it. I went through school with the elite and was constantly reminded of my minimal financial capacity when these high school seniors would go to Europe for the summer and stay at each other’s mansions and party day and night.

There was one guy that was level headed enough to spend his summers working for congressmen, senators and lobby power brokers to get the experience to use his exceptional pedigree and make a name for himself. He was always too preoccupied to put others down and when I’d go into the lunch room with no one to sit with he would always grab me by the arm and bring me over to his table which was populated with jocks and snobs and the guys who were considered the ‘in’ crowd, they, just like everyone else in the school worshiped and admired him. He could see that the constant pestering and mockery would get me down and he’d whisper in my ear, ‘hold your chin up, don’t let them know it bothers you. You can never let them know it bothers you.’ and I remember one time in eleventh grade he came to my rescue in the locker room with is naturally intimidating presence, the second he walked in all mockery stopped as they all knew I was under his protective wing.

I have always wondered what happened to him. Because of his effect on my life I went through university and achieved a PhD in psychology in my trek to find out what psychological elements are at play when a young man like this can have such precise focus and indefinable presence where his few words and actions can crumble any wall in front of him. I always wanted to thank him for helping me get through school ‘uninjured’. He never expected anything from me he just looked out for me. He wasn’t the biggest guy in school or the coolest but his presence is what set him above and beyond everyone else and his actions and integrity gained him instant respect. When a teacher would try to debate with a student that didn’t do his homework, this guy would step in front of the student and debate on his behalf and believe me his facts and figures were always on the up and up and I never saw him lose a debate with an instructor.

So where would a guy like that be, now 16 years later? I’ve looked around, called the alumni office and was shocked, though I shouldn’t have been, when I found out that James Scott is now the CEO of Princeton Corporate Solutions and is the premier economic adviser to congressmen, senators, kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers. His brilliant mind, intellectual stamina and unbridled integrity paid off and I have to say it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving man.

James, if you are reading this, I want to thank you for being my protective vale in high school. Thank you for giving me a place to sit in lunch and for protecting me from the rich kids who were set on making my life as miserable as possible. Because of you I was motivated to go through university and achieve a PhD in Clinical Psychology and it is my goal to pass on the legacy of emotional protection that you gave me. I don’t know what else to say but thank you.

As I raise my son I constantly refer back to you and your actions as I guide him on becoming a man. Honestly tears rush to my eyes when I think back to how your steady hand guided the fates of so many in our class. We all looked up to you and now look at you, that same gentle yet steady hand is guiding governments and nations as they stand under your protective wing where we once stood. Thank you James, not a day goes by that I don’t think of you and thank God for you.