"Yeah," he says, grinning down at his feet as he lifts one shoulder in a shrug once they've parted. "I'm... freaked out and overwhelmed and excited and happier than I've ever been. It's all kind of a big deal."

He's not sure anything bigger will ever happen to him. He knows it's not such a big deal for everyone else and that's alright. For Joel, though, this is one of the most important things he's ever done.