I first met Mark at my first all night rehearsal for a musical in High School. My acting teacher/director called Mark in to tell us stories. We all gathered on the stage, with sleeping bags. I was so excited, when Mark came in, he was so happy and incredibly funny. With the stage lights on his back, he threw himself into the stories. It was a wonderful treat.I remember almost perfectly, the Tailypo story. I'd come across the tale before, but the way Mark told it was incredible and horrifying. I'd never been so delighted and scared before. A few weeks later, in acting class, Mark came in and our teacher said he would be directing us in our production of Spoon River Anthology. Again, Mark told us stories. This time, it was The Highwayman. I loved that story, and again, Mark was out of this world in the way he told it. Every detail was there, you could practically see the story unveiling before your eyes. Mark was a brilliant man, and I know he will be missed by everyone. When he was telling stories, I felt like a little kid again, completely lost in every detail he gave.