BRO-MAN'S

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June 26, 1970

John heard the thud of the school’s standard issue black shoes against his ribs like distant thunder. The sharp pain knifed up to his head and he gritted his teeth to keep from crying out. Suddenly, he felt a body pressing on top of him, shielding him from the worst of the kicks. He heard someone else’s grunts of pain and was ashamed to feel relief that someone else was getting hurt instead of him.

February 20, 1981

It’s prom night but instead of being in his cheap motel room with his slightly slutty girlfirend, John found himself walking along the motel’s dimly lit corridor.  Tony, his best friend since that beating they shared in Grade 1, was pacing furiously.

“I just couldn’t do it, man. I don't know why. “ Tony said.

“It’s okay, bro.” John said. “No one said we had to have sex on prom night, anyway.”

So neither of them did.

February 20, 1989

John finished his mug of beer in less than five seconds and asked for another.

“So are you sure it’s yours, man?” Tony asked.

“Yeah, bro.” John said. “She’s only been with me.”

“So she says.”

John finished his second mug just as fast as he did the first.

“Be a godfather to my baby, bro?” He mumbled numbly.

“Of course, man.” Tony answered.

August 18, 2004

Tony quietly nursed his glass of scotch as John seethed.

“She’s a bitch. I knew it the moment you introduced her to me. I never should have let you marry her, bro. I knew she was all wrong for you”

“I just don’t understand how she could cheat on me, man.” Tony murmured.

“Me neither, bro.”

Nov 16, 2015

John and Tony sat side by side at the bar, glasses of scotch untouched.

“So sorry about your loss, man. She was a good mother to your kids.” Tony said.

“Thanks, bro.” John replied. They sat there, with nothing needing to be said.

Across the room, Paul and Karl, who had just become an official item on their social networking sites, looked at John and Tony with envy. They took a quick picture of the two best friends and posted it accompanied with the hashtag #relationshipgoals.