it's hard for me to write one short story. not because of my sadness, but i don't know where to start? mark and i went to grammar school together, we went to high school together, we went to harvard together, and we lived in the same city for about 10 years following that. we were co-captains of our high school football team and shared the skoglund award which, to my recollection, had never been shared before. he was the best man at my wedding. we shared the same circle of friends for decades. we have always been the best of friends even during his last years.
so, where does one start?
i will be putting stories up here over time or anecdotes or remembrances.
as stated, music was important to mark and he was pretty much the de facto judge and jury regarding our high school musical tastes. it was a pretty special honor to be invited into the rollins basement by mark (it looked like the basement in That 70's Show) to listen to vinyl. i recall the brothers had purchased a very good stereo. pink floyd and clapton were in. the rolling stones, not so much. lou reed was in. southern rock was popular, but this was not cool in the rollins basement. we bought the records at a place called "Dog Ear Records". it was located in a converted quonset hut and run by some hippie that looked like Tommy Chong (from Cheech and Chong or, again That '70's Show). they also sold dope paraphernalia so you had to hide your vinyl purchases from your parents or they would know you went into that "damn store for dopers and potheads". his favorite radio station was WXRT (which is still there and still playing progressive/alternative rock). we graduated from st. norbert's in 1975 and went to loyola, graduating in 1979. during this period, it was a happy time for everybody including mark.
more to follow...
yes, we had to bring home the announcements to prove we were there. i later had a three day summer job in the same building working for the people who leased the space to Dog Ear. the younger boss paid us off, with beer. pretty good haul for eight graders.
Write as many stories as it takes. We'll keep reading!
On Dog Ear Records: on occasion my brothers would drop me off at Sat 5pm Mass at St. Norbert's and instruct me to get the announcements on the way out to prove "we all" had been to Mass. Then off they would go to Dog Ear and pick me up on the church steps on the way home. 🤣
Oh Bill. I am so shocked. I didn't know that you guys went to school together before our Harvard days.
Karen Gray Beaudry '83
Kirkland House, Track & Field