Welcome again to Middledom with this second Hitchhiker’s Guide. Last week’s feature was a short, whimsical musing about a little elephant. This week’s story about Hamiltonian James de Bree is longer — more of a serious, romantic pot-boiler that takes some time to reach its climax. Even after multiple readings and edits, the ending still catches me off guard.

Herman de Jong (1932-2004) never aspired to be a nuclear physicist, like James (though he does have grandchildren who are up to it), but the Terschelling experience is straight from his heart, and will speak to many in his family. For a love of place, and the need for love, this story speaks volumes.