Monday, August 13, 2012

On And Off And Tom Again

Best laid plans. Last made plans. It doesn't matter. Tom rendezvoused with Laura in Budd Lake and dinner was waiting for them when they got here. It was already dark but no one seemed to notice. A cutting board with spoons and bananas sat next to an empty bottle of wine within the hour, and that wasn't the best part.

IMAG0297
excited to be found

Yuula took to Tom faster than anyone she's ever met, including her mother and me. She must know. And Tom took to her dance floor before the beat could even think about dropping. This went on well into the night. It was too surreal to capture any good photo.

C360_2012-08-11-22-19-59

The next morning we took to the yard, spoke in reminiscence and plant species, and got our feet wet with dew.

C360_2012-08-12-08-39-10

Decision was made to show Tom (who apparently enjoys antiquing just as much if not more and better than we do) our favorite joints and maybe grab some lunch. Olde Engine, and that expensive mess on 611 and we were ready to dine. Where else but Tandoori Palace, the Indian Express train with stellar butter naan and the perfect tikka masala sauce. Yuula ate a ton of tandoori chicken, mostly because she was being rewarded with mango lassi. Who wouldn't?

C360_2012-08-12-13-26-38

Peddler's Village was next but it's hard to seek out treasure with bellies full of basmati. Let's just say we tested out every chair in the place and a few crusade helmets as well.

C360_2012-08-12-14-47-19

Coffee and Main Street was next. We may have won the award for most time spent in Stroudsburg Square for any human being. Yuula smelled the flowers by color and found monsters down the cannon barrels.

C360_2012-08-12-15-43-22

Tom wanted to pick up some records to bring home. I helped him decide which Stones album would be optimal and seeked out some transitional material with little success. But I did find Paul Simon's Graceland for a fiver!

C360_2012-08-12-15-55-06

Then off to see Laura and say goodbyes. Yuula takes over that place whenever she visits. Pretty sure this girl was not hired to be baby chauffeur.

IMAG0300

Strange to see Tom. Strange only because it's been seven years since I last saw him, albeit extremely briefly (7 minutes), and 13 years since we last hung out.

This was us in December of 1999.

img099

This was us yesterday.

IMAG0302

We switched sides.

And after all this time, the only thing that changed is our wastebands, in opposite directions. He's still the best friend I ever had.

1 comment:

Mom and Dad said...

ahhhhh...nice pics...it is strange when someone you haven't seen in ages shows up and it doesn't even take a beat to get back into the swing of things...
Laura had met him right....didn't he come by the Jackson house with his wife..and you all went out...?