My Cousin, Scott

Today my mom called with shocking news. My cousin, Scott has passed away. I can't believe it.

Scott was next closest to my age, besides my cousin Nickee. I always enjoyed hanging out with him...okay, almost always enjoyed hanging out with him. He was slightly crazy and excentric - and always lots of fun. He spent a few summers in Kelowna working at the motel and then at the travel agency. We went on a couple trips together. I also used to go to Lethbridge and work in his travel agency sometimes when he needed someoen because he was going on a trip. I also had times I hated him. I remember chucking a bag of frozen vegetables at him one day because he was teasing me. LOL He used to tape his favorite songs over and over again on one casette so that he could listen to it non-stop....'you spin me right round baby right round' again and again and again and again. I never hear that song without thinking of him. LOL Scott was beautiful...no other way to describe him. We'd go to Taco Time for lunch and the girls would have his food ready for him before we got there. He'd walk in, get his tray. I'd have to get in line and wait to order my food. LOL I remember him teaching me the best way to clean windows....always use newspaper. He was totally a neat freak.....totally took after Nana Hyde in that respect! LOL

We haven't seen him much the past 15 years or so. I've missed him. When I did see him it always seemed like I immediately felt comfortable hanging out again. He always called me DawnDee. I don't know why...that's just what he did.

Apparently he'd been having a hard time recently. He was in the mortgage business, and had also bought lots of real estate - and the last year or so that industry, apparently, has tanked. He was depressed and drinking too much. They don't know how he died. His friend wasn't able to get him on the phone and was concerned so he called someone to go check on him...and they found him dead in his bed. Poor Nickee was the one who got to call Aunt Marvelle and Uncle Clifford to let them know.

I feel very hollow. The weird thing is the past week I've been thinking that we were going to have to deal with a death soon. I kind of dismissed the thoughts. I don't think anything could have prepared me to hear that it was Scott that had passed away.