"Hey there," Hal says into the mic, leaning down a little because he's too tall and because he tinkered with the stand for a second before giving up trying to raise it. "Hi, I am...I'm sorry for not wearing a suit and tie, my father has mentioned, repeatedly, that it's not appropriate. I hope you all can forgive me." It's hard to tell if his tone is sarcastic or not but he clears his throat and continues a little more seriously.
"My brother was real important," he says, looking around. "I know none of you can really agree with me all that much because none of you knew him!" A small mutter fills the crowd of extended family members that are there out of obligation or to show their faces to Hal's parents. "But that's ok, at least a handful of you in there know what I'm talking about and that's ok because the people that Matty loved, he made sure they would know it on this day-except you, Liv, you kinda got the short end of the stick, sorry about that. But that's what you get for calling me his bratty kid brother that one time." Hal watches Olivia Falon in the crowd, roll her eyes and mutter something to her husband.
"Anyway, Matt was so important because it's hard, you know. It's hard to have a heart that's physically giving way and still find away to love at least three people around you and give them the best time of their lives. Matty, he brought people together, he opened their eyes to what living really was even when he had so little time to do it himself and I know...I know my friend Ian can tell you about that so I'll let his speech be all about that."
"I don't uh...I don't really know how to do this kinda stuff," Hal squints against the sun and his eyes shift between Ian, Chris, his parents and Olivia's family; the only people he really knows in the crowd. "Chris told me to write it all out on index cards but I dunno, that seemed a little fake to me, I felt like I should say what was in my heart off the bat and let me tell you, seeing my brother in a box is the hardest thing I've had to do in a long time. I lived my entire life seeing Matt kick up dust and make himself known wherever he went. I've only ever seen him while he was saving lives or kicking other people's asses because my emo high school ass couldn't do it myself. I've only ever seen him while he was making Ian smile or wing manning for Chris and I've only ever seen him tell me that my dog needs surgery even though he's a human doctor. I've only ever seen Matty do. I've never seen him stagnant. I've never seen him just be. I never thought he'd just be dead."
He stops and swallows. Clears his throat and looks down for a second. "I've only ever seen him do-" he starts again but stops, clearing his throat once more. "Matty was a grouchy old bastard most of the time but he was there for me even when he wasn't. He was my hope and inspiration for doing big things even when he was off in Boston being a big shot doctor and he's the reason I had the courage to go to New York and make my career. I don't care if he tried to kick us all out of his life and spend his last days rotting away by himself. He came around in the end and he let me see him smile a few more time before he went and that's why..."
He lets out a deep breath and settles his eyes on his father. "That's why he was-is my Superman and I'm sure as shit gonna miss him...and you know what, I'm not the only one either, he's got a bunch of people whose lives he changed that are going to genuinely miss him and that's why my brother's so fuckin important." Hal blinks back whatever shred of emotion had began to overcome him and says a quiet, "Thank you," before stepping off the stage, taking his spot between Chris and Ian once more.
