THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605190049
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Paul South
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
When I was a kid, one of my favorite places to go was Cecil Culver's gas station.
Mr. Culver had gone to school with my Dad. And it seemed at least once a week, we would pull in next to the gas pumps and Mr. Culver's helper Grady would come and pump our gas, clean our windshield, check our oil, talk about the Friday night football game, and every once in a while crack a joke.
I knew his name was Grady, because it was in red writing on the oil-stained pocket of his light blue work shirt. At least for one week when I was 7, I wanted to be just like Grady.
Tinkering with cars.
Talking football.
Telling jokes.
Thirty years ago, mechanics like Grady and places like Mr. Culver's were all over the place. Not so any more. Full-service gas stations seem to have gone the way of two-newspaper towns; major league doubleheaders; and Cokes in six-ounce bottles, chilled in red metal ice chests.
But Roy Scarborough, manager-operator of The Queen's Coach House in Manteo, is keeping the heart of the old-fashioned service station pumping away.
``If I didn't do full service, we wouldn't have the business we have,'' says Roy, his eyes shining behind brown-rimmed glasses. ``For some people, I'm just like a family doctor. I've got people who come all the way from Ocracoke, Kitty Hawk, Corolla, all over, because they don't want to pump their own gas, and because they want all the other service we provide.''
A lot of his regulars can testify to that. Jeff Hathaway of Hathaway Marine is one of the station's best customers.
``This place is like a little oasis,'' Hathaway said. ``You can't get this kind of service any more. Folks are in too much of a hurry, and too concerned with the bottom line.''
Manteo lawyer G. Irvin Aldridge said there is a ``world of difference'' between Scarborough's station and the self-service variety.
``If you break down, he'll come get you. If you need a car while yours is in the shop, he can do that. He's really great.''
Scarborough and his three employees - Charles McPherson, Gail Rickmers and James McNair - have only one rule at the station:
Stay out of R.C.'s chair.
``R.C. is the station cat,'' Scarborough said of the orange, black and white calico. ``Don't sit in R.C.'s chair.''
But there are more than enough chairs to sit in to talk at Roy's place, one of the few African-American-run businesses on the Outer Banks.
But to understand why Roy sticks by the old-fashioned virtues of customer service, you have to know something about Roy's life.
``My grandparents raised me from when I weighed 3 pounds, 11 ounces,'' he said with a slight smile. ``My grandfather worked at the old Mother Vineyard on the island, and my grandmother was a housewife.''
Moses David Scarborough and Eunice Wood Scarborough taught their little grandson a valuable lesson we would all do well to fill up on, whether we pump gas, catch fish, or write stories for a living.
``They taught me to honor and obey all people, and give 'em respect, no matter how old they are, with `yes, ma'am' and `no, ma'am,' `yes, sir' and `no, sir.' They told me to always show good manners,'' he said. ``And they told me to always be willing to help people in need. That's what's got me this far.''
Thirty years ago, I wanted to be like Grady, the man at Mr. Culver's. Now, I think I want to be like Roy Scarborough. by CNB