Among the missing: Jimmy

Now here's a guy worthy of the Simpkins name: James Bradford Simpkins, son of John and Bernie and newly married to Sheli, a beautiful woman I met briefly at their wedding on Cape Cod last September.

Jim, the middle child in his family, was not the peacemaker but the rebel. Every family needs at least one who refuses to walk the prescribed path, to conform to the house rules -- one who blazes his own trail. That's our Jim, the nephew who has always held a special place in my heart.

Once when his mom was especially frustrated with him, she looked at me and said he was more like my kids and maybe I should take him home (or something to that effect). I was honored. From that moment, I sort of claimed him as one of mine, not walking his path with him but cheering him on from the sidelines.

He was there, of course, for his grandad's funeral and was a pallbearer, along with Johnny O. and Don Jr., and he told me how proud he has always been to share his name with my dad: James Simpkins. Even when he was a teenager, he said, and it was definitely not cool to hang out with your grandad, he loved to spend time with Peck, to listen to his stories, to debate worldviews. Yep, he's a keeper, this one. Too bad he's among the missing from Ajax Rock. We've saved a seat for you, Jim. Climb on up.