Theo was on my mind when I woke up at 4:15 Saturday morning.

That was too early to get on with my day. I tried to sleep. Seven o’clock would be fine, 6:00 would be okay, or I’d even submit to 5:00; otherwise, I’d be bound for a nap by 3:00 in the afternoon.

Instead of thoughts of sleep, though, I was captivated with thoughts of Theo.

I had met him the day before—that wonderful, somewhat odd, old benevolent fellow with enough funds to get done whatever he felt needed doing. He had arrived in a little Georgia town, coming from “all over”, and seeming to be on a mysterious mission of goodwill.

Upon our introduction, I immediately recognized his unique kindness and his gift of intentional living. A man like that, with such keen insights and peaceful demeanor, is someone I’d be happy to have here in our town—in person, not simply in my imagination.

Lydia introduced him to me at the Nadine West Bookstore in Glasgow. I didn’t go there to meet Theo; rather, I was hoping to meet another character in another book. I couldn’t find that one, and I began to leave. Before my right hand reached to pull open the exit door, I quickly asked, “What’s your bestselling book right now in Glasgow?”

Her face lit up like a birthday cake with burning candles. “Theo of Golden,” she replied without hesitation. “We can hardly keep that book on our shelves.”

I examined the book. Copyright, 2023. Noticed the New York Times Bestseller ranking. Still a bestseller by Lydia’s account. Impressive. Read the flap. Wow!

“It’s become popular here by word-of-mouth,” Lydia said, and went on to tell me how local readers have become so devoted to it.

“Theo of Golden,” the book’s called, and now I join the other readers who have proclaimed it to be a good’un. It was certainly good enough to interrupt my sleep.

Before the sun came up, I was up and reunited with the intriguing Theo. At 7:00 I set the book aside to join my wife for our breakfast. Then there was a period of catching the morning news. By 8:30 I was in our backyard, wearing earplugs and pushing a noisy mower over the grass. All the while my thoughts were preoccupied with Theo.

Back in the house around 10:00, I pulled out the earplugs and heard the non-noise of my wife seated in the chair where I had started my day. She had the book open.

We have often enjoyed reading the same book together. Once on a train bound for Seattle, I began reading a paperback and tearing out chapters as I read them to pass along to her. Sometimes we have enjoyed listening to an audiobook together, but we have not found a good way to concurrently share a keeper hardcover.

I didn’t want her to pull out pages of Allen Levi’s nice volume, so I begged her to put a bookmark at her place and return the book to me.

I told her I had a 3:00 deadline to finish my reading.