Mike's Best Man Speech

My name is Mike. I am one of two best men. The other is Rob. I only bring up Rob because I know how upset he gets if you forget to mention his name in a speech.

This is a story about young love, a chance meeting and international travel. A story about two people who have lived under the same roof and shared so much. Yes, it is the story of Mik and . . . . Me.

1993. My college dorm room. Jean shorts on, radio playing ace of base. The phone rings. That’s when I first heard the name Mik Branchaud.

Now I know I can’t talk about certain topics in this speech. It would be inappropriate to talk about Mik in jail, or if I told you why he can no longer rent cars from avis but I think this is okay.

I picked up the phone. It was my girlfriend. I knew something was wrong right away - - for once she wasn’t yelling at me. Turns out we were done and Mik was slightly responsible. We had never met, but I had this vision of Mik, good looking, charming, james bond like. Actually, she said, he’s a bit heavy, has boy band hair and smells like booze, you know Mik.

So four years later Mik and I ended up at the same company, same office. I recognized his name and spotted him. My ex described him perfectly. We joked about the events of 1993 and instantly became friends.

It is easy to be friends with Mik

· Mik is smart, honest and sensitive (It takes a sensitive guy to not only write his own wedding vows, but to finish before his fiancé)

· He is always up for fun and doesn’t seem to mind being the butt of a joke (obviously)

· And he’s very caring. Mostly he cares about his appearance. In Greece after a motorcycle accident. Mik laying in the hospital. Internal injuries. Takes my hand. ‘Mike, I have bad news about the accident. I ruined my money shirt. What am I going to wear to the club tonight?’

We spent time traveling to exotic places like Poland, Greece, Brazil and Belmar and even became roommates in NYC. Unfortunately by late 2000, things headed south. And by things I mean Mik. He got a job at Disney. Easy to see why they hired him “Your name is Mik, like Mickey mouse. . . Johnson – hire this man.”

I saw some changes in Mik shortly after he moved. He was starting to act more like a Florida native than a New Yorker. Mik was tan, he got in shape, he was spending his days playing volleyball, he got a cool apartment in the Waverly. And then came the biggest change. He told me that while living in the Waverly he met a beautiful girl named Sam and knew she was the one. Mik seemed happy. Centered.

So I had to come and see for myself, so I came down. I was blown away when I met Sam. She’s pretty, smart and funny. And I realized that Mik must have tricked her. None of this makes sense, what the heck is going on down in Orlando? This is a magical kingdom.

I was still pondering this the next morning when I woke up in Mik and Sam’s walk in closet. And I remained a little nervous that Sam might catch on to Mik’s trickery (you can find out a lot about someone when you are engaged for three years).

But the more I got to know them both, the more I thought that they were perfect for each other. . . and things worked out – I guess Sam saw the good in Mik that I have seen for years.

Sam, I’ve never seen Mik as happy as he is when he is with you. All joking aside he is a great guy and one of my best friends. Mik – I still think you are very lucky. I am incredibly happy to see you two together and know that you will make it. Ladies and gentlemen, thanks for listening, and could you please all stand and raise your glasses to Mik and Sam.