Chips off the old block

Grandad with Jim and John, two of his most ardent admirers -- and grandsons


Peck was proud of all of us, kids and grandkids alike. But certain of us have a bigger dose of "Peckness" in us than others, and here are two of those chips off the old block.

Now Johnny O., as we call him, has looks that are pure Robertson, like his dad. The hair is a dead giveaway that he didn't inherit many of his grandad's physical traits. But that's a disguise, because he has a philosophy, a world-view and sense of humor like his grandad, plus he has all of the Peck-isms down pat.

During Daddy's funeral, when I thought the preacher would never stop carrying on, I said to Johnny, "Make him stop!" Without missing a beat, Johnny looked at me, and in a perfect imitation of his grandad, said, "He's just singin' for his supper." Yep, that was exactly what my dad would have said.

Now, on the right we have yet another James Simpkins, this one James Bradford Simpkins, a Simpkins if there ever was one. He was always something of a misfit in the more Greenwellian Simpkins family into which he was born, but his grandad was his hero. Even when it was decidedly not cool to hang out with your grandparents, Jim was drawn in by his grandad's stories and he truly enjoyed spending time with him.

Here's to my two handsome nephews -- it's up to you to keep Grandad's spirit alive!