In this life, we only get a handful of people we can truly call Brothers. I’ve been fortunate enough to have had more than my fair share, but Scott “Scooter” Meadows was the first. I met Scott through his sister Tammy back in 1986, shortly after I moved to Brockport and started high school there. I was dating a friend of Tammy’s, and one night, when the girl and I were going on a date, Tammy, her brother Scott, and a bunch of other people decided to join us. When I met Scott, we hit it off immediately. We were both young, a little crazy, and always looking to get into trouble. But what started as friendship quickly became something much deeper—a bond built on trust, loyalty, and knowing that no matter what happened, you had someone standing beside you.
I’ll never forget the night Scott became more than a Friend; he became a true Brother. I was 16 years old at a carnival when this big guy from high school and several of his friends surrounded me. He believed I had talked to his girlfriend, and apparently that was enough reason for him and his friends to want to beat me up. I was skinny, outnumbered, and definitely nervous. When Scott came back from whatever he had been doing, saw what was happening, and heard the threats, he immediately stepped in and went after the guy. I went after one of the guy’s friends. Then luckily a few of our friends saw what was happening and jumped in with us.
Later, back at my father’s house, while nursing some wounds, I looked at Scott and said, “I can’t believe what you did; those were some big guys.” He looked at me and said words that became part of the foundation of my life’s beliefs: “I will always have your back 100%, no matter what the odds are. I just expect you to do the same for me,” and over the years I did more than a few times.
I have lived by those words with every man I’ve ever called my Brother. Because true Brotherhood isn’t just about friendship; it’s about standing beside each other. You stand shoulder to shoulder, and you never leave your Brother standing alone. No excuses!
Scott and I had countless adventures over the years. Life eventually took us to different places, but we never stopped being Brothers. We stayed in touch and made sure we got together whenever we could. In September 2019, Scott was in a motorcycle crash, and he didn’t make it. Even today, there are moments when I go to call him, only to remember that he isn’t there anymore. That’s the hardest part about losing someone who was there from the beginning. You don’t just lose a friend; you lose someone who is part of your story.
Scott had an armband tattoo for many years. I don’t know whether it had some deep personal meaning to him or whether it was simply something he liked. It now has a very personal meaning to me. On October 6, I went to the Hall of Ravens Tattoo Parlor in West Coxsackie, NY, to see Jordan. Jordan is a great tattoo artist and a genuinely cool guy, and I know Scott would have liked him. I had the same armband tattooed on my arm. To me, that band now represents Brotherhood, Loyalty, and a promise made forty years ago between two young guys who had no idea how much one night and a few words would shape their lives.
Scott “Scooter” Meadows was one of the people who showed me what true Brotherhood really means. I miss him, and I always will. Since he left this world, there has been an emptiness that will never completely go away.
I’m still fortunate to have Brothers in my life who I know will stand beside me through thick and thin. But Scott was the first. He was my first best friend, my first Brother, and one of the people who helped shape the man I am today. That armband on my arm will carry his memory, his loyalty, and those words he said to me all those years ago. Rest in Peace, Scott “Scooter” Meadows. My Brother!
LJ James
Formerly of Brockport
Facebook.com/LJJamesTheBikerDJ
LJ James getting his armband tattoo.
