A Brother’s Speech

“I think I’m going to change it again,” I started.

            “What? Why” my mom asked through the phone.

            I yawned and tiptoed over the backpacks and suitcases littering the floor. “I just don’t really like it,” I answered.

            “But it was good!”

            “I know…” I mumbled, wiping my burning eyes. It had been a long night of card games and movies with the other groomsmen that we lost track of time and ended up going to sleep around 2:30 in the morning. While they tried to sleep in as much as possible, I lay awake as the sunrise pierced through the hotel curtains.

            Today was the day my brother Jake was getting married to his fiancée Christina, and I would be giving the best man speech at the reception. I had written a few drafts over the past few weeks, but I always managed to find something wrong with them. And now, only a few hours before the ceremony, I hoped to scrap the whole speech and start from scratch.

            “Ok,” my mom finally said. “But don’t worry too much about it. You’re going to do fine.”

“I won’t. Goodbye,” I replied as I walked outside into the cold morning air. The scent of salt water had climbed up the mountainside, penetrating the fog that blanketed the ocean. Only a few palm trees peaked into view through the grey scenery.

            With a pen in my hand, I started to scribble out the notes I had written down. I never expected the speech to be this hard, but honestly, what do you say about your own brother? One of the first role models in your life? One of your first best friends?

            “Just crack a few jokes and keep everyone entertained,” one told me.

            “Keep it short and talk about your relationship,” said another. I was confused how I could keep it short while talking about the relationship with my brother.

            Jake and I were very different people. He was always a risk taker, while I always played things safe. He was incredibly outgoing and loved to meet new people, but I was a bit more reserved. Most of our childhood revolved around him trying to push me out of my comfort zone to try new things. One of the first memories that comes to mind was in our old backyard when he had friends over for an airsoft battle. He tried convincing me that the pellets didn’t hurt, but, of course, I was terrified of getting shot at and told him I didn’t want to play. However, roughly half an hour in, I started getting curious, and I wanted to watch. I slid the screen door open and suddenly the backyard went silent. I couldn’t spot any of his friends, so I proceeded to walk deeper into the yard. Suddenly, Jake jumped out of the bushes and tried firing a few shots at me.

            “Hold still!” he yelled. “It doesn’t hurt that bad!”

            I darted back towards the house screaming with perfect serpentine maneuvering to avoid his shots.

            I chuckled to myself recalling the memory. Looking back, I realized that Jake was always trying to include me with his friends because he was looking out for me. He cared for me.

            My phone started ringing. It was Jake.

            “Hey dude, where are you?” he asked.

            “I just stepped outside for a second,” I quickly replied.

            “Okay well, we’re about to take pictures if you can start getting ready,” he explained.

            “Sounds good, I’ll be right there,” I said. I hadn’t done anything for my speech.

            I dressed in my suit and joined the rest of the groomsmen, but I was too distracted by what I should say. Everyone was laughing and swapping stories, while I was lost in thought. I started putting an outline together in my head on the drive over to the venue. The groomsmen and the bridesmaids all filed into a small room waiting for their entrance. I saw Julia, the maid of honor, in the corner talking to my sister, and I asked her about her speech.

            “Oh yeah, I’m super nervous. I have a little speech written on my phone, but it was pretty hard,” she answered.

            At least that was a comfort; I could bring notes up with me. Finally, the wedding planner told us the ceremony was starting. The fog had cleared up to reveal a beautiful afternoon. The sunlight smeared the sky pink and spilled onto the dancing waves below. Swimmers bolted into the water to avoid the heat. Luckily, lush oak trees shaded the small grass clearing for the ceremony, accompanied by a soft ocean breeze.

            Standing at Jake’s side, I observed the surroundings. The smiling friends and relatives, the surfers gliding through waves, and the beautiful bride walking down the aisle to be married to my brother. This was Jake’s moment, and it was beautiful. In that moment more than ever, I wanted to show how much Jake meant to me, and I was struck with the idea for my speech. The ceremony ended with applause and laughter, as people were ushered towards the reception.

            As everyone prepared for dinner, I scrambled to type a few points into my phone. What felt like seconds later, I was called up to present my best man’s speech. I had spoken in front of hundreds of people before, but I was never as nervous as I was at that moment. My parents kindly told me how much I was shaking afterwards, but while I was up there, I didn’t look at my notes or pause to think. I knew exactly what I wanted to say because I knew what Jake meant to me. He was the best brother I could ever ask for. All I had to do was convey that to the crowd.