June 12 - Cap'n Bromance

Ahoy, Cap'n Bromance!

OK, so here's my deal. I'm a 31-year-old hetero living with my fiance, Jill. Everything's great on that front, work's cool, etc. A little busy, but whatever.
Anyway, every week I play pick-up basketball at an outdoor court near my office. It's a pretty regular crowd, and most of us know each other by face, if not by name.
But there's this one guy named Mark, and I guess we've kind of developed a bit of a rapport. We're into the same music and TV shows, only it's hilarious because we're both way behind on, like, everything. For example, he just finished season 3 of The Wire, and I just started season 4, so it's cool to have someone to talk to about it.
Anyway, we'd exchanged email addresses a few weeks ago because my office overlooks the court (it looks totally inner city and ghetto, but it's fine) and I usually email him when people start showing up. Basically, up until recently, that had been the extent of our correspondences and it was cool.
Well, after the game last week I had to run back to my office and finish up some work, and I saw that he'd just emailed me, like right after the game, which was something new since we usually only ever email before the game. And granted, his email wasn't anything amazing or anything, just like 'Hey dude, it was cool playing with you. See you next time.' But I don't know. I'd had had a really good game, and I was kind of on a high because it was Thursday night and Jill and I were finally going to get out of the city for the weekend, and I was thinking how Mark seemed like a cool guy, and we got along well, and now he'd emailed me at, like, 10:30, and so I replied and suggested we grab a beer sometime.
Anyway, you can probably see where this is going. No reply. And now here it is Wednesday evening, and I haven't heard anything from him. Tomorrow is our basketball night, and I don't want things to be weird, but I'm worried it might be awkward. I mean, if he doesn't want to get a beer, that's cool, whatever. And part of me feels stupid for obsessing over this, but it's like, he emailed me. At 10:30. And now he won't reply to my reply?! I guess I must have (stupidly!) misinterpreted his email, and now that invite is out there, and I feel like an asshole. What should I do?

Thanks,
Sending Out an SOS

Ahoy, SOASOS,
Aye, it furrows me brow and tingles me spine to learn of such a blimey, confounding quandary as yours. Tis a tale that brings back many an ill-conceived and ill-received entreaty to 'Take a load off, matey! Park ye your thundermaker next to mine and join me in making this bottle of rum be sorry it e'er set foot in the Mermaid and Whale.' Aye, if I had a flagon of ale for every such offer that be doused in pickle brine and thrown back in me ugly mug, I could be spending the remainder of me days sailing me blessed, rotted Canary Pearl in a sea of ale.
Aye, lad. What man can fathom the mysteries that be bringing together men o' rugged body and rancorous spirit? Tis a chasm between strangerhood and brotherhood that be seeing the demise o' many a mate who be seeking to cross it 'fore it be advisable. I understand your lot, lad. Tis a right vexing mucklehex.
But even in the face of gathering storm clouds and foreboding swirls an' eddies, I say avast ye your fretting, SOASOS. For who knows the cause of the locked jaw of your mate in wait? Tis many a possibility: The drudge and toil of chasing his daily shillings be rendering him fit solely for slumber's tender embrace. His attentions be the exclusive province of a fastidiously elusive wench. The hogshead thrumbings of yesterday's sorrows be having him in their tightfisted shackles. Tis a fool's errand to contemplate it further.
I advise ye that as the sun descends on morrow's reign, take ye to the court like it be the galley of your vessel. Stride with confidence, man! Keep a lusty disposition about ye person. Greet all brethren, aye, including that ornery, cursed Mark, with gusto and verve. And as the book be closing on the day's contests, issue a call to one and all to drink to the spirit of the game, to the spirit of the fraternity of men. Tis a chance that your Mark will heed the call. And aye, tis a chance you be spurned. But I say walk tall, SOASOS. It be Cap'n Bromance's belief that your dilemma be having a happy resolution.

Argh!
Cap't Bromance