When she opened up, Chewey Clinton felt like she finally had a confidant.
Chewey Clinton
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Chewey Clinton
When she opened up, Chewey Clinton felt like she finally had a confidant.
Chewey Clinton
This story is part of My unsung hero series, from Hidden brain about people whose kindness leaves a lasting impression on others.
Chewey Clinton grew up on a farm in rural Idaho. As a teenager, he was a typical small-town kid, working at a hardware store and hunting with his friends.
But he’s also keeping a secret that he feels sets him apart from everyone else: He’s gay. He hasn’t told the truth to anyone, not even his best friend, a classmate named Spencer.
“He was my best friend in high school for many years,” Clinton said. “We love listening to punk rock together, playing video games. He’s good at talking. He’s a really cool guy.”
One weekend during Clinton’s senior year, his parents were away, so he decided to throw his first party. A group of his classmates and friends arrived, including Spencer.
“Spencer and I were hanging out, he was drinking, and you know, he was having problems with his girlfriend,” Clinton said. “And he’s frustrated and upset, and he wants to go home.”
Clinton didn’t want his friend to drive home if he had been drinking, so instead, he asked Spencer to take a walk with him on the roads around the ranch.
“We talked as we walked, and he vented his frustration about his relationship with me,” Clinton said. “And the conversation only subsided after a few miles.”
As they walked in silence, Clinton felt something he didn’t expect. He wants to tell Spencer about his sexuality.
“It’s something I never thought I could say to anyone I grew up with, because it’s really dangerous,” Clinton said.
But in that moment, Clinton felt as though he might reveal something he’d been cherishing for so long.
“I said, ‘Spencer, I’m gay,'” he recalls. “And there was a moment of silence, and nothing else, he just put his arm around me as we were walking and he said, ‘Okay. You are still my best friend. I’m Still In Love With You. “
Although Clinton really didn’t know what was going to happen, he said Spencer’s reaction was more than he expected.
“For someone to tell me they love me when I tell them it’s not like anything I could ever ask for. It’s like an exhaust valve,” he said. “It was like the constant weight that had been built up on me all of a sudden was lifted a little bit.”
For the rest of that year, the two friends remained close. Clinton felt like he finally had a soul mate.
“I’ve never had anyone I can tell everything to,” he said. “I could never know what it feels like to have such a friendship.”
Later that year, Clinton went to college. He and Spencer gradually drifted apart, as high school friends often did. But he said he will always remember the compassion Spencer showed him.
“I’ve been with hundreds of people since then,” he said, laughing. “And I’ve never been afraid to say it to anyone, because I love who I am so much. I’ve thought about it enough times to know that he’s part of the reason for it.”
My unsung hero is also a podcast – new episodes are released every Tuesday and Thursday. To share your unsung hero’s story with Hidden brain group, record a voice memo on your phone and send it to [email protected].
