Above: Scott Reese shows off his trademark bike, which he uses instead of the traditional golf cart.
LIKE AUSTIN POWERS, Scott Reese is a man of intrigue, though perhaps not internationally. A Palo Alto High School campus supervisor, he is often seen patrolling campus on his bike with walkie talkie in hand. Verde sat down with Reese, now in his 24th year as a campus supervisor at Paly, to discuss his life and his views, while debunking some of the rumors surrounding his bike and well-kept mustache.
On acquiring the campus supervisor position at Paly …
SR: I’ve lived here in the South Bay my whole life. I got this job through Earl Hansen. I started coaching football here at that time, and shortly after I got the campus supervisor job, which I have had for 24 years. I also was the assistant to the athletic director for six or seven years. After farting around for a while at Foothill College, I worked at my dad’s plumbing company and had a few accidents there. What sent me out of there [the plumbing company] was a fall from two stories. I survived, [but] I had some damaged ribs and a knee problem. It seemed like I was getting hurt all the time.
On identifying campus intruders …
SR: I usually like to look through the old [Paly] yearbooks and picture books. … Of course, I don’t know every kids’ name, but I try to remember as many faces as I can, and I do it with facial recognition. Here and there I make a mistake and embarrass myself with students; I think I don’t recognize them and it turns out they are indeed from Paly. … When I do pick out someone who isn’t from Paly, they are usually quite surprised.
On his relationship with the student body …
SR: I used to have stronger relationships with kids when I was working with them in the athletic department. When I was here for when James Franco came for the Media Arts Center Grand Opening, I ran into two different students that I used to know. It was nice to see them and all, but the way they react to seeing me … I remember how close I was with them back when they were in high school. Nobody really knows much about me [now], or what my duties are.
On the evolution of Palo Alto …
SR: During the time I grew up here, Palo Alto was more of a middle class town. You had more affluent kids that came from downtown Palo Alto, and then at Gunn the [wealthy] kids were from Los Altos Hills. You knew that they were [affluent] based on the kind of cars that they drove, just like how it is here nowadays. Palo Alto nowadays has become, at times, and with certain people and students, ‘Entitled Town’ — everybody feels that they are entitled to certain things. But there are many kids who don’t act this way who are balanced and easier going about life and don’t feel that they are better than everybody else.
On his defining mustache …
SR: It’s funny you bring that up. I had it in high school, and I’ve only cut it off twice in my life. Both times my wife said, “Put it back on!” In high school it wasn’t as long. … I started the long thing in the ‘80s, when I was a Yankees fan. I liked Goose Gossage and Thurman Munson on the Yankees. Goose Gossage had this type of full moustache on, and I just went with it and I kept it.