Another Friend Gets Married

Growing up in Dallas, Texas, I had a group of guy friends that I always hung out with. We all went to the same school, same church, and enjoyed each other.

Kevin was a football jock and band nerd who was interested in dating girls.

Chris H. was a nerd who took all AP classes, was in the honors program, and was really into math and science.

Chris F. was the nice guy who was friends with someone in every clique; he also played football.

I was the guy who took the AP social science classes, was in the honors program, and starred in the school plays.

These guys weren't my "high school" friends: they were my friends who I did everything with. I've known Chris H. and Kevin since the 7th grade and Chris F. moved to Flower Mound 3 years later. They weren't people that I met in high school to be forgotten after my senior year. These 3 guys are people that I've had fun times with, shared my secrets with, and opened up emotionally to. We're kinda like the kids in "It," just without the scary clown.

Tonight, Chris F. was the third guy to get married (leaving me to be the last unmarried one). Chris H. and I drove up together to the reception in Hooper (near Ogden) and we had a great conversation on many different topics. I was really glad that he said, "So, when you are getting married?" because he's a straight married Mormon male encouraging his gay friend to solidly commit. We also talked about children. While he probably didn't think anything of our conversation about marriage and family, it meant a lot to me that he was comfortable with it all. He (and Chris F.) is one of the biggest reasons that I don't hate the Mormon church; he's a good example of what Christ-like means.

I had a good time at the reception talking with Chris F.'s dad Randy. I commented to him that tonight was the most I had ever talked to him because in high school I thought he was a little scary. Now that I'm older, I realize he's just a dad who tries to do the best thing for his kids.

At the end of the reception, Chris F. and his new wife Kariann got into a horse-drawn carriage and rode off into the sunset. Still being the immature high school kid that I am, Chris H. drove up next to the carriage and I yelled to the married couple, "There's a present that I forgot to give you." Then I stuck my naked butt out of the window and enjoyed the screams and laughs that resulted.

At that moment, I was just a high school kid doing high school pranks with my best friends.