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No, Sean Connery didn't come to
visit but he could be mistaken for Jems .
If
ever two boys were more alike they couldn’t have been closer than
Jems, (Jimmy Linton), who was born with the name of James and
me. At about the same
time another boy was born in Earlsferry who was also given the name
of James, James Lowson. With two James' this gave me quite a problem which I
solved by bestowing on Jimmy Linton the name of Jems. Somehow the
one word name, Jems, just seemed to fit him and he became Jems to
all, which he still is to his close friends. There was no confusion
as to my name of Sydney but about the same time someone decided to
bestow on me the name of Scuds and so I became known during my
Earlsferry years. As a boy it seemed like anywhere I went I always
ran and I was nicknamed Scuds because of me always being on the run
or scudding about.
Growing
up with Jems was just great as it seemed like we were always of a like
mind when we decided to do what we did or go where we went. We became a
regular pair of sea gypsies. I never gave it a thought then but I wonder
about it today that my parents never asked me where I went which in the
summertime could be from dawn till almost dark or what dangerous ploys I
had gotten into. I know they cared for me but the only thing with them
was, if you want to eat be home at meal times and if you don’t just be
home before dark. It was understood that we would be responsible for
ourselves and not do anything foolish. They knew that we ventured out to
sea in our frail boat, that we fished from the rocks and raked in the
tangle covered ledges at low tide, that
we climbed the cliffs to see where gulls and other sea birds built their
nests on high precipitous ledges, that we climbed to the tops of tall trees
to see into crows nests, that on foot we wandered miles away to play in
the woods, that on our bikes we roamed far and wide and that when the
occasion arose we taunted our "friend and guardian" Jimmy
Wilson who was the village Bobby. I don't recall
that my parents ever told me "No" or that they ever said,
"Don't do that."
As
the years have gone on I have continued to greatly admire Jems. While I ventured
away from Earlsferry which caused me to lead an entirely different life than I
otherwise would have done Jems realized that he had it all
and carved out for himself a lifestyle that has enabled him to be independent
and to go on living the good life without ever leaving home.
Today
Jems still has his twinkle in his eyes as he hoists the sails of his 24 foot
sailing yacht, the Rum Rig, to feel the lift of the swells and the kick of the
helm as he and his first mate Albert sail off into the wide blue yonder. However
in this day and age Jems and Albert wear the latest technology life jackets. In our younger years when
Jems and I went
out to sea we didn't know
what a life jacket was far less own one.
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