Looking like a Rabbi, Tom's sitting on a bench talking to Gordon Matthews who looks very much like a Gentile.
The sun's not up yet and they're waiting on the Club to open.
"We don't have 'Local's privilege'," Gordon says wearing a plaid shirt and his hands stuffed in his Kaki plans with creases.
"How long have you lived here?" I ask the man who definitely does not look like a local.
He has nothing to say.
"How long has it been?" Tom repeats.
"Yesterday," I answer wearing black running shorts and a UGA tee shirt. "We went to see the Savannah Children's Choir perform with the Savannah Philharmonic Choir."
Both are surprised, roll their eyes and whistle.
"Sarah and the girls also made me go to Starbucks," I continue.
"Well, why don't you come meet me for lunch sometime at greasy spoon?" Tom offers.
"Tommy Holland's after me to come to the 'Coffee.Deli.Jam' Christmas concert this week but ... I don't know ... it's so far."
"What's that?" Gordon asks.
"It's my neighborhood," Tom explains. "Anywhere between 20 and 40 players show up with stringed instruments and everyone takes turns playing their songs. In these days of incessant multi-media it is a refreshing return to reality."
It's hard not to love Tom Kohler and his precise ability to explain concepts to us Goys.
"Oh yeah, I've been," Gordon says like everybody from Savannah says regardless if they've ever actually been or not.
"Well call me," Tom continues. "We'll do lunch."
Climbing into the car I doubt I call. If he wants to have lunch badly enough, he'll call me. I don't know what we'd talk about anymore. We used to share a lot in common but that was a long time ago.
The last time I was with Gordon ... he basically wanted the newspaper I was reading and really doesn't care about much else.
Tommy Holland on the other hand won't stop writing me about the Coffee.Deli.Jam ... primarily because he's up all night having multiple near death experiences when he's not walking his dog!
It's hard to not love Tommy too.
Maybe I'll combine trips.
Maybe I won't.
It's a lot to think about.
