Dear Young M.C. :

RE: “Your best friend Harry has a brother Larry, and in five days from now he’s going to marry. He’s hoping you can make it, if you can, ’cause in the ceremony you’ll be the best man.”

Are we to assume that it is Harry that is going to marry? This makes more sense than the alternative, in which you are the Best Man at your best friend’s brother’s wedding. In that hypothesis, one would think Harry himself a more likely candidate. But, no, we need to assume that it is your best friend Harry whom is to wed.

This still leaves us with some concerns. Why bother interject about his brother? If Harry is your best friend, can’t we assume you’d know about the existence of Larry? Why would someone feel the need to share that fact with you. And it seems odd to place that sidenote in the context of information concerning a wedding.

Also, Harry doesn’t seem to be very good at wedding planning. A mere five days before the ceremony, there is still some question as to whether you’ll even be attending. It seems risky to be tentative about such an important role. Of course, one assumes that Larry could step in, if need be.