In 1990, midway through the year, I arrived at Robb Elementary School to much fanfare and adulation. The young schoolgirls were excited to see an actual man show up, rather than the tired little boys that they had to currently choose from. They would thank me every opportunity they got, saying such things as, "Your ginger mane is so exotic and soft", and, "There aren't any real men in our class", and, finally, "No boys are man enough to try to kiss me." These aren't things that I hadn't heard before, mind you. I was used to being the top-dog, the alpha-male, the reason why young schoolgirls first started telling their moms they were interested in boys. But, what I wasn't used to was another kid thinking *he* was that dude. And, while I knew that line of thought was fantasy, I did respect the hustle. In fact, I liked it. And, I liked him. Immediately.
Jason Shepard will never be confused with cool. He's slightly awkward, both in terms of coordination and in social circles. His skin is pale, his hair is floppy, and his back is crooked to the point of constant pain. If he was a dog, the frequency and speed at which he drinks would be indicative of a urinary tract infection. He often says strange things at strange times; consequently, on more than a few occasions, strangers have wondered if he has Tourette's syndrome. Being polite, he often takes great liberty with the truth; being blunt, he lies a lot, about a lot of shit, a lot of the time. His basketball game is below-average, despite him thinking it's above-average. He is of the opinion that his ability to play cards is average, when in reality, it's horrendous. He's been a diabetic since the age of 4. That's not an indictment of him, obviously; however, I wanted to simply inform that he's indeed diabetic. And, yes, he's been awful at that as well.
But, what he's been *good* at since I've known him.....is being a best friend. Everyone should be blessed to have a best friend like Jason Shepard. The kind of friend that your family wants to bring on vacations to Ocean City, New Jersey; the kind of friend that your older brothers like having around at the house to play RBI Baseball; the kind of friend that your fiance looks forward to taking a road trip to visit. Exceptionally kind, abnormally patient, and doggedly loyal. I've never had to question the motives or intentions of Jason Shepard. If they involved me, I know what he was saying or what he was doing was borne out of a deep respect and shared history. We *know* each other, both good and bad. No one knows my faults and strengths like Jason Shepard.
The stories I've told about him leading up to his wedding are only the easy-to-tell, humorous anecdotes that give everyone a good laugh. But, he and I know about the other stories. The ones that he and I shared with each other as young teenagers, driving around in his old, red minivan. The ones that involved no one else and involved no laughing. The ones that involve two young men that had been kicked in the nuts by circumstance. The ones that involve two hurt dudes that needed one another to lean on. He was *the* guy I would lean on. He always has been.
I was honored to be at his side at his wedding. I'm honored that he'll be by my side at my wedding.
Groomsman, Jason Edward Shepard. I can't wait to see you and Laura.
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