James packed up a U-Haul van with his stuff and left for Toronto last night.

James was moving off the Island to live near his brothers and sister.

It was after 10 PM when he arrived to return a book on finger style picking. I wanted to get dressed and go with him.

James lived in Toronto for a year in 1998 when we moved there for Aquilium Software. 

While he wanted to come back to PEI in 1998 to be with his friends, he never forgot the friends and lifestyle he had made in Ontario.

Every year we would go back for Christmas or a summer trip. James would renew his love for the city.

He especially liked being with his nephew and niece who lived in Oakville. They are my grandchildren from my son Gabriel and daughter-in-law Georgette.

James is remarkably tender and loving for a young man. He treats those two so well and misses them when he is on the Island.

My daughter Laura moved to Toronto 10 years ago to enter Law School. When she graduated she joined a law firm there so we had two family reasons to visit.

Will moved from Victoria, BC to Toronto late last year to be near his sister and brother. I think the die was cast then that James would join them.

I will miss James. We didn’t see each other allot despite being in the same town. James had his friends and activities. He also liked his private times.

But we took time regularly to grab a breakfast at Cora’s or come over for a meal. His appearances at the Farmer’s Market were unplanned and a treat.

It seemed profoundly sad and lonely to give him a bear hug and hand shake.

“Do you have money?” I asked looking for something to say.

“I don’t need money Dad. I have lots,” he replied.

“I wasn’t offering. I was just asking,” I quipped looking to lessen the emotions.

I wished him well as he drove off into the night towards the bridge and the west. That’s it, the last of my children gone from Prince Edward Island.