Well, this is the guy I really had in mind when I thought of writing these entries. Unlike the rest of these other chums I will be writing about in the future, I will actually share his real name. This is because, first, I have nothing but good things to say about him. Secondly, I wouldn't mind if he stumbles upon this blog and we get in touch again.
I was a pretty meek and shy kid until the 10th grade. I was working at a summer camp and hated the noise in our cabin so a few of us moved out nextdoor into an empty one. A few days later, one of the head counselors comes in and looks around to see if there's room there. With him is a kid with dreadlocks and very confident attitude. Swagger, as they say. Great. We pretty much escaped from the trouble in the other place and this new kid is coming in here. So my first impression of Kevin Hunter wasn't a good one. To add to that, we later found out he came there late because he pretty much had to be convinced by that counselor, who was his uncle, to spend the summer there so he doesn't get into trouble where he lived.
He didn't move in with us though. He took a spot in the other cabin. One night, I couldn't sleep because this hardcore music was blasting from next door. I get up to investigate and find him riding his bike indoors and trying wheelies. Meanwhile, he apparently brought with him a huge amplifier to play his songs. When he saw me, he smiled and asked, "Do you listen to hardcore?" I said no.
And then I don't remember the specifics of the conversation but he turned out to be so amicable that I couldn't help but get along with him. I came there to complain and yell but I ended up making a friend instead. I remember talking about Rage Against the Machine, Korn, Tool, Helmet and more. I told him I liked bands like Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots and Smashing Pumpkins. He said he didn't like Billy Corgan's voice.
I really liked his positive attitude about everything. When somebody would joke with him, or even insult him, he would just say, "You're a funny guy" and brush it off. For a while there, I tried that approach, but eventually grew out of it. It just wasn't me.
I also took a lot of other things from him. I started listening to heavier music and even bought and wore band t-shirts for the first time. He played drums and eventually, years later, so did I. But more importantly, I started to be more outgoing and generally stopped being so negative, pessimistic and cynical.
The previous year, I made money by writing essays for classmates. It wasn't hard actually. I just took my own assignment and dumbed it down. I liked making money quickly, and I was really focused on it. I also lied habitually for no real reason. For example, I used to stay home on Mondays because I simply didn't want to go to school. I got my classmates to believe that I was getting psychotherapy and that's why I was always out on that day. I never got into trouble for my days off.
Things were different in junior year. I tried to get to know everyone, which was fairly easy because we weren't a huge high school. The freshmen, I think, especially liked me. But then again, they were freshmen. Also, I took a course in video production and made sure I could come on every field trip to shoot it. I even tried to run for school president but lost. That was something I would have been too afraid to try the previous years. My grades weren't as good as they had been, but I was happier.
I credit Kevin for that change in me. I did come to work at the summer camp to get a different insight on life, but I think my friend was the catalyst for that. I always thought I would be back there the next year, but it didn't happen. I never met him again, along with many other people I became chums with there.
I'll probably write about them as well.
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