Bob is a newcomer who has just moved into a tiny rural village, and he's introducing himself and meeting all of his new neighbours. He discovers a quirk that a lot of people share the same few 'family' first names and so are distinguished by their job or some other individual trait.
After making the acquaintance of Jane the florist, Jane from the manor house, Jane the postwoman, Tom the butcher, Tall Tom, Tom with the moustache and all the rest, he meets a very old man on the edge of town and discovers that he, too, is called Tom. Bob asks if he has a commonly-used nickname to distinguish him and he replies, with a huge sigh:
"You see that beautiful orchard over there? I planted those trees all on my own, 75 years ago - but do they call me 'Tom the gardener'? You see the grand cast-iron village sign over there? I designed and built that all by myself, in 1946 - but do they call me 'Tom the blacksmith'? You see the village pump over there? I installed it single-handed when I was just 19, and brought fresh water to the village, long before we were connected to the mains - but do they call me 'Tom the plumber'?"
"And yet, a curious man has one single tender moment of intimacy with a sheep in the farmer's field, back in 1993...."