Sir Richard Branson always extols the virtue of keeping a notebook where you write your personal thoughts and observations. I keep such a notebook. on Saturday I reflected on the most incredible people that I have personally met or worked with in almost 67 years of life. I shared my results with Elena at lunch yesterday as follows:
1) I told Elena that she was in an incredible category by herself. She is the most wonderful thing that has happened in my life.
2) James Baker: He served as Secretary of The Treasury and secretary of State. I got a 90-day internship with him after getting out of the US Navy in 1972. He was from a wealthy family and head of one of the most powerful law firms in Houston. He was a friend of everybody with any power in politics. He always dressed like a fashion model from a classy men's magazine. When he came into the office in the morning, he took off his coat and hanged it on his chair. He loosened his tie and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He became one of the most modest, warm, human and compassionate people that I have met in my life. His door was always open and anyone could come in and talk to him. Later when he became a powerful cabinet officer, I knew that our country was being well-served.
3) The late President Ronald Reagan:Thanks to Mr. Baker I got to sit in with President Reagan in a 90-minute briefing in 1972. He literally is the most charming human being that I have met in my entire life. He was also very intelligent. He connected well with his audience. He truly was a great communicator. Even if you violently disagreed with his political ideology, you fell madly in love with him as a person.
4) H. Ross Perot: I had a one hour meeting in his office in Dallas in 1972. He was already a billionaire. In person he was a very modest and humble person. If you were talking to him he made you feel like the most important person in the world. In back of his desk was a huge credenza with the pictures of every family member; even obscure cousins. Under all of that warmth and humility I could sense that he had a brilliant mind that worked at twice the speed of a normal person's mind.
5) James C. Lewis: He was of Afro-Cuban ancestry. When the family came to the US, they changed the name to a gringo-sounding name. Despite being a humble immigrant family, they sent their son to Columbia University. After finishing his studies, he could have had a great career in many areas. Instead he joined the US Air Force and was a pilot of transport planes for 20 years. Along the way Jim worked for the CIA Airline Air America and had adventures all over the world. He flew mercenaries in the Congo, for example. One could have written an incredible adventure book about him. After the US Air Force, he went into the seafood business in Los Angeles. Jim was literally the most honest and decent man who I have met in my entire life. He was a wonderful employer and a dear friend.
6) Nichols Humy: He is an incredible lawyer who represented me in a contempt of court action over my book Laguna. Nicholas was the best court room lawyer that I have seen in my life. He had compassion for people and always worked harder than expected. He pulled off a legal miracle for me that no one thought was possible. Sadly he died of cancer at age 53.
1) I told Elena that she was in an incredible category by herself. She is the most wonderful thing that has happened in my life.
2) James Baker: He served as Secretary of The Treasury and secretary of State. I got a 90-day internship with him after getting out of the US Navy in 1972. He was from a wealthy family and head of one of the most powerful law firms in Houston. He was a friend of everybody with any power in politics. He always dressed like a fashion model from a classy men's magazine. When he came into the office in the morning, he took off his coat and hanged it on his chair. He loosened his tie and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He became one of the most modest, warm, human and compassionate people that I have met in my life. His door was always open and anyone could come in and talk to him. Later when he became a powerful cabinet officer, I knew that our country was being well-served.
3) The late President Ronald Reagan:Thanks to Mr. Baker I got to sit in with President Reagan in a 90-minute briefing in 1972. He literally is the most charming human being that I have met in my entire life. He was also very intelligent. He connected well with his audience. He truly was a great communicator. Even if you violently disagreed with his political ideology, you fell madly in love with him as a person.
4) H. Ross Perot: I had a one hour meeting in his office in Dallas in 1972. He was already a billionaire. In person he was a very modest and humble person. If you were talking to him he made you feel like the most important person in the world. In back of his desk was a huge credenza with the pictures of every family member; even obscure cousins. Under all of that warmth and humility I could sense that he had a brilliant mind that worked at twice the speed of a normal person's mind.
5) James C. Lewis: He was of Afro-Cuban ancestry. When the family came to the US, they changed the name to a gringo-sounding name. Despite being a humble immigrant family, they sent their son to Columbia University. After finishing his studies, he could have had a great career in many areas. Instead he joined the US Air Force and was a pilot of transport planes for 20 years. Along the way Jim worked for the CIA Airline Air America and had adventures all over the world. He flew mercenaries in the Congo, for example. One could have written an incredible adventure book about him. After the US Air Force, he went into the seafood business in Los Angeles. Jim was literally the most honest and decent man who I have met in my entire life. He was a wonderful employer and a dear friend.
6) Nichols Humy: He is an incredible lawyer who represented me in a contempt of court action over my book Laguna. Nicholas was the best court room lawyer that I have seen in my life. He had compassion for people and always worked harder than expected. He pulled off a legal miracle for me that no one thought was possible. Sadly he died of cancer at age 53.
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