I'd get in a fight for you, bro.

The bromance is an ulimately beautiful relationship. I have had many a bromantic relationships, each with their own degree of devotion. Some I've had since middle and high school and some from college or even the time after. One question I have been pondering is, when does your buddy go from being a friend to being your bro? It's not like there is an established amount of time before you can move to the next "stage." For me, it's simple. I can trace the moment in almost every bromance where I have said, "I'd get in a fight for you."

I'm not a big guy. I could probably take a medium size guy that's getting over the flu....or the plague. Why that, though? Why is THAT the defining moment for me? I'll tell you why. That's the moment when I would endure physical harm to help out a friend. Sure, you can help friends move. You can be their wingman at the bar. Nothing tops enduring a punch in the face by a guy who has 4 inches on you and is taller. Aristotle said, "It is those who desire the good of their friends for the friends' sake that are most truly friends..." No one wants to watch their bro get his ass handed to him.

A few weeks ago I was at a bar with my girlfriend and her best guy friend from high school. We have all hung out a few times and this guy has become more than just my girlfriend's buddy, he's a friend (aw). Well, 7 or 8 beers into the night we decide to go to Ben's Chilli Bowl. Delicious, I know. A girl and her boyfriend are in line and the girl is clearly checking my buddy out. I'm talking eye-fucking the shit out of him. I say to my buddy, "that girl is totally checking you out." He's incredulous. "Dude, she is all about you. Screw her boyfriend, I'd get in a fight for you." Yeah, this was the booze talking for sure, but with that statement I had solidified a new phase in how I thought about my buddy. He became a bro.

This need to step up and be a man for your bro is as old as history. When Jesus was about to be captured Peter drew his sword and cut a guy's ear off. He cut his ear off. One more time, he cut his EAR off. If that's not stepping up to the plate for the Boston Bromantics, I don't know what is. In Romeo and Juliet when Romeo is actin' a fool for Juliet, Mercutio steps up and defends Romeo's honor. Sure, he curses both houses but only because he felt betrayed by his best bud. In Top Gun (yes Top Gun) you can find one of the most awesome homosocial pairing ever. Maverick and Goose. Would YOU step up and sing karaoke with a friend so he could get laid? Hopefully. Sure it's not physical harm, but it's pretty close.

I asked my best friend, "hey man, when into a friendship would you get into a fight for the guy?" He couldn't give me a solid response but he did say something really important about telling a guy you would fight for him. He said, "don't throw it around all willy nilly." He's right. I've only said to the guys I'm still friends with. So if we're just kinda friends and you're about to get into a fight I'll buy two beers. One for you after the fight and one for me as I watch you get decked by Frank the Felon.

Thanks for reading. Peace.