I have attended countless weddings all throughout my adult life.  In all those weddings, I was a simple guest for all of them save one: my own wedding to a wonderful woman who was gone too soon from my life. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that I have never been a member of any wedding entourage. I have never served as a groomsman, much less a best man in the wedding of any of my closest friends.

Last week, I finally got an invitation to be the best man at the wedding of my colleague at work, and this surprised me a bit. From what I understand of the concept, a best man is supposed to be the closest person to the groom, the best male friend to be exact. While I can consider my soon to be married colleague a friend, I don’t think we are that close to merit an invitation to be the best man at his upcoming wedding. So naturally, I had half a mind to decline, so I started saying things that would lead me to that refusal. However, I never got to finish what I had to say, because he told me I am the closest thing he has to a real friend, and he couldn’t think of anyone else to become his best man. That left me speechless, as I never realized this guy really doesn’t have much in the way of friends. I have actually noticed that he really keeps to himself at work, that I’m the only other guy in the office whom he chats with near the water cooler. Was chatting with him regularly about the previous night’s episode of How I Met Your Mother enough for me to be his best man? For him, it was more than enough.

So here I am, helping him find the best party halls in the city for the reception. I know something about wedding reception halls, having been married once before. I’m not really sure if the party hall we found was the best in the city, but I think he liked it, because he was profusely thanking me by the time we went home, like it was the best thing that ever happened to him.

The wedding is in three weeks, so I guess I’ll be seeing more of this appreciation, which I believe is undeserved, from the groom. We’ll see what happens next.