Sep 25, 2007 10:06
Yesterday I was reading the newspaper while at work, and I ran across an article they had about the dwindling Bingo games throughout the city. Supposedly, it's because the people who used to spend their extra money on bingo, are now spending it at the new casino in town. Anyways, they interviewed my old drum corps director Ray. That in turn made me realize it's been ten years since I marched with Lake Erie Regiment. It also got me curious as to what happened to all my friends I made with that organization. There is no one that I talk to anymore unless they happen to stumble into Outback, which a couple have.
Everytime I remember my times with LER, I always think about Mark. I don't know if I've ever talked about him, but he's one of those people that I'll never forget. It's time for a trip back through Memory Lane.
February 1997 towards the middle of the month, I approached by my friend Eddie who was a snare drummer for my high school band. He said that since I seemed so interested in drum corps, I could tag along with him this coming weekend and attend LER's Sunday rehearsal. If I liked it, I could sign up and attend the camp later on that month. I remember walking out of the downtown parking garage, and across the street into the old Boys & Girls Club. Eddie introduced me to Shawn Preston, Chris Hestin, and Mark Riel in the activity room. (Yes, I know the IUPers are going, holy shit..hot Chris. Yes, I knew him before all of you did.) Chris was the Precussion Head, while Shawn was the assistant battery instructor and Mark was the Pit instructor. Shawn was nice enough, but I instantly had a good feeling about Chris and Mark. Mark especially made me feel welcome that Sunday. I was asked what my major instrument was and was relieved when they didn't laugh at me when I said clarinet. When I surveyed the room, it was an interesting mix of teens. Actually, they were all playing pool. It turned out that I attended the first rehearsal of the year after the recruiting camp. I learned from Mark after Chris and Shawn left the room, that not much was going to happen for the next 4 hours except alot of fun, games, and maybe some rehearsal. That rehearsal was actually spent learning how to play on tympani, cymbals, the chimes (those damn chimes), the xylophone, the marimba, and other odds and ends. At the end of "rehearsal" I had to help load the truck back up. I told Eddie that I thought I would like to stay with the group, and he said that because there were so short handed I wouldn't have to audition. So I became a woodwind percussionist.
Mark M. Riel. Ha. First thing I remember about him, don't call him Mr. Riel. He wasn't his father. Second, that infectious smile. There was almost always a smile on his face and that twinkle in his eyes. (Okay, you have to picture him through the eyes of a 16 year old.) He was always laughing about something, whether it was a joke he said, a joke he played, or other people ribbing on him, laughs were aplenty around him. Third, and he took this seriously...don't fuck with his Pit members or his Pit equipment. Alot of times as I found out later, he borrowed equipment from Slippery Rock or his own personal equipment. I found out pretty fast that his Pit members were family. He had his favorite Pit members and his not so favorite, but we all worked hard. In fact, after that rehearsal he was maybe with us a total of two more times. I never speculated what was happening back then, because it was never my business. All we were told was that he was continuing school and was sick alot of times. Of course, Shawn never treated the Pit as well as Markie did, and so in the long run we had to play catch up when it came to learning music for the show. It turned out alright in the end that first year. Though, I still think to this day, if I had a more supportive high school band director, I would have learned more on the percussion side and therefore would have done better on the drum corps side.
1998 Lake Erie Regiment. Oi! It was a year of discoveries, transformations, emotional rollercoasters, loss, heartache, new friendships, and finding out what I was made of all in the span of 7.5 months. Mark was back full time with his Pit crew. I never really understood our friendship. I don't know if he thought I was mature for my age, or had the innoncense of youth, but somehow we formed what I thought was a great friendship. Email was a wonderful tool in this friendship, because what used to be questions I had for him about the corps show, quickly turned into questions about life and the future away from the music land he and I were immersed in. I never knew if he was ever sick of me emailing him or talking with him. All I know was that he was very patient with me. Topics discussed were college, and he definitely helped steer me in the right direction, whether he knew it or not. I knew I didn't want to go to Slippery Rock. ;) And geesh, did we both know how to push each other's buttons. I don't think I ever saw him fight with Tammy as much as him and I got into it, especially at the one standstill at Mercyhurst North East for the Fourth of July. I don't think him and I spoke for over a week. But everything was back to normal the week afterwards.
Anyways, I'm writing all this down because yesterday I googled him and found out that he is living and teaching less 10 minutes away from my brother down in North Carolina. He is the current band director at New Brunswick High School in Leland, NC. He's married to Meagan whom he has loved since back in college. And now it he's a proud father. It sounds like from what I've been able to read online that he's pretty happy and his band is doing wonderful. I truly believe this is always what he wanted to do. I did email him to his school address, but who knows if I'll ever hear from him. But I thought I would try.
And for my memory, I'm listing some of the most memorable times dealing with Markie.
1) Tai Chi
2) Smack of the Gong after meditation
3) I learned how to play Moose from him.
4) Flying turtle from Moose.
5) Mark almost shitting his pants after we placed for Finals at that one show.
6) Email and Aim conversations that would last hours upon hours.
7) The whole incident at Seneca during Hell Week.
8) Frosted Pink animal crackers.
9) Mark not being able to breath after Kyle's Seatbelt story.
10) Baby Elephant Walk
11) I Believe I Can Fly! as Mark fell down the stairs, and spent the night in the ER.
12) Him doped up on pain killers the next day.
13) Mark driving around the Pit truck with all the pit members in the back hanging off the end.
14) Propane tank fumes
15) Mark's ghost white face after Mom's practical joke on him about the propane tank.
16) Pit tree at Seneca.
17) The night rehearsal when the pit was told that he was leaving.
18) Hanging out in the Instructor's Room with Mark, just him and I.
19) 4th of July
20) Hand Bells R US
21) Calling Mark after the Canada trip...we all left messages on that answering machine.
22) Mark's face after every word that Andy McFay would say.
23) Trying to teach me how to hold 3 mallets in my hand was funny. For the record, only people who have huge hands does it work for.
24) Conga Line
25) Firedance Conga part. I still haven't forgotten how to do that.
26) Tuning the tympanis. (Side tympani lessons)
I really wish you could all see me smiling and laughing as I remember these little things. I'd like to run into him again after all these years. Just to let him know and thank him for being a positive influence on me.
mark,
regiment,
friends