Hunter’s Stories
“The Kiss” by Matt Kimm
Hunter (Left) & Matt (Right)
It’s 7th grade, and I’m in the middle of my none too gracious transition from boyhood to adulthood, with a sweet rack of braces and thoughtfully placed acne across my face. Hunter and his family, being the ridiculously generous people they are, had invited me to spend spring break with them in Mustique, a beautiful island in the Caribbean. A big topic of discussion on the trip was how I had yet to kiss a girl, unlike the coolest 7th grader of all time, Hunter Watson, who had gotten his first kiss decades ago. On the trip, I met someone special-a beautiful girl with the perfect English accent. I couldn’t believe how well my awkward jokes were landing with this girl, and I knew that this was my moment to shine.
And then comes Hunter: my supremely confident, 7th grade rockstar friend. He swoops in, chats her up, then starts speaking in French and swing dancing with my love interest. I can see this girl practically falling in love with him, as many girls have. Feeling betrayed, I emotionally flicked my Bieber-style hair, sat alone on the beach, and played some angsty Green Day off my iPod Touch.
A few minutes later, to my surprise, the same girl meets me on the end of the beach with a smile. She tells me how Hunter spent their dance telling her what an amazing friend I was and what an amazing guy I was in general, with so many accomplishments. I’m fairly certain Hunter fibbed quite a bit, but I didn’t care. I flashed my red white and blue braces at her, and I finally got my first kiss, all thanks to my best friend Hunter.
This story may seem silly but I think it encapsulates Hunter. He was a confident, charming, amazing guy who could grind my gears at times, but he also could bring joy to my life in an instant. As tragic as Hunter’s death is, I am still so happy that I got to spend the best years of my life with the best friend I will ever know. I will forever cherish the years we shared together, with no regrets.
To Hunter I say, “you lived 20 incredible years, and I am so happy to have spent many of them with you. I love you Hunter, and I miss you so much”.
- Matt Kimm