MARK'S MYTH

American mythology: The Journey of Leisure k 

Leisure was panicky. Democracy, under the influence of
his evil sons, Politics, Pomposity, and Timidity had siezed power from the
noblest or the goddesses, Liberty. Leisure was one of Liberty's sons and
his brothers were either in far off places trying to subdue the forces of
Polities or had already been overcome. Politics had terrorized
Timidity into drugging Reliance into a long, deep sleep. Leisure had no
one to turn to for help in rescuing Liberty, although his brother Reverence
had advised him to search for their father.
Lewis, a mortal faithful to Reverence, rushed into the glade wherein
Leisure resided. He informed Leisure that servants of Democracy were
approaching the glade to capture him, for Politics had convinced Democracy
that Leisure was on the side of Reverence in his fight against the
Politico-Democratic Government. Leisure was left with no choice.
He must flee from the grounds of the Palace of Liberty for his own freedom.
Having never taken the time to study geography, he had to ask Levis where
Reverence was so that he could join him in his fight to overcome the interference of
Politics. Lewis informed him that Reverence was in the east battling the
Terrorists. "Keep to the woods, for they are safer,” he advised
moments before the entry of Politics himself. Leisure fled down the mountain
along the eastern road.
In the woods at the bottom of the mountains he met two lumberjacks, named Science and Conformity. He asked them what they were doing.

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Science replied that we're chopping down trees so that a new factory for Industry 
could be built. Conformity corrected that he was working just be- 
cause he had been told to. As they appeared harmless, Leisure 
asked how he could get to the forces of Reverence. 
“Don't know why you would want to see him, but I will be 
glad to give you the meager assistance that I can. Science is always
ready to further Progress," answered Science. "You should 
go to the city just outside the woods and ask Capitol for funds 
for your expedition. If he approves, then you should continue 
to Industry to hire workers and gather equipment for your journey." 
"Thank you very much," said Leisure with his kindest smile. 

He then took his leave and strolled along the path toward the city. 
At the gates his errand was asked and he replied that he 
wanted funds so that he could join Reverence. A few days later 
he received the answer that Capitol had no funds available for 
that endeavor. Politics forbid it. Leisure turned dejectedly away. 
As he lacked anywhere else to go, he decided to proceed to Industry. 

As he entered Industry he was met by an official of the Chamber of 
Congress who gave him the guided grand tour of "The Noble City of 
Industry? Leisure tried to act impressed but it all seemed to be a lot 
of work to him. The smoke and squalor oppressed him and he longed 
to breathe fresh air in the woods just outside of the metropolis. 
But his friend from the Chamber of Commerce warned him to forget 
the woods and watch T.V. for his entertainment. He said that those 
were the woods of Reverence. He shuddered. No one was allowed to 
go there. 
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Leisure would not remain in Industry a moment longer so they put him on the road to the Air Force Base, because they wanted to have him imprisoned, for they were suspicious of his interest in the woods.

Leisure rambled unconcernedly along the road toward the Air Force Base. The land was barren and desolate there, and he could see a sign rar ahead. As he walked, he listened to the howl of the jets landing and taking off. When he got to the sign, he read "Top Secret. No one allowed beyond this point except Military personnel or people on official business for Politics." Leisure turned resignedly aside and followed a road pointed out by a bright neon sign with a waving arm and a mechanical voice which constantly repeated "Progress!

At the thriving town of Progress, Leisure found people working on the development of the latest automobiles, nuclear weapons, and the Politico-Democratic Government bureaucracy (P.D.G.B.) equipment under the personal supervision or Pomposity. A huge sign proclaimed that the organization for World Peace Headquarters (0.V.B.H.) was in the basement of the Outlawed Weapons Manufac- turing Company and International Armory Building (O.W.M.C.I.A.B.). Leisure wandered about the city and accidentally blundered into the Medicinal Research Adifice (M.R.E.). This was very dangerous on his part, as at that time the International Humanistic Society (N.H.S.) was undergoing experiments with newly created diseases on specimens from a governmental Asylum for the Insane and Mentally Incapacitated (A.I.M.I.). Leisure was informed of his danger and then placed in quarantine for six weeks.

When he was released, he was given a pass to the Air Force

(The card said that it was a Base for an official check-up.

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Medicinal Examination for the Determination of Physical and MentalHealth and it was signed by Pomposity himself.) 

At the Base after his Examination, he was sent to the recruiting office, wherehe became an Involuntary Recruit. (Drafting had been abolished by the I.H.S.)
After four hours of training he was put on a train to the Front, where a large

offensive was planned to take place in seven days. Leisure was bewildered, but his questions 
were answered eight days later when he was informed that he would 
arrive at the Terrorist Camp about three hours after the train 
left the Air Force Base. So this is what the Politico-Democratic 
Government does with taxes, he thought. 

After an eight hour train ride, the recruits disembarked. 
Seeing his chance for escape, Leisure stepped over no man's land 
into the Camp of Reverence. He was immediately apprehended as a 
spy and taken to see Reverence, who immediately recognized his brother.
Leisure was joyfully greeted and after he had bathed 
and eaten and slept, Reverence told him that they had long given 
up hope for him as it was now three months since Lewis had told 
him of his danger from Politics. Leisure apologized that he had 
failed to follow Lewis' advice about keeping to the woods. "That 
explains all," said Reverence. "You have just journeyed through 
the land or Bureaucracy, the heart of the country under the evil 
influence of Politics." 

Leisured thanked Reverence kindly for his brotherliness and 
inquired if there was anything he could do to help rescue their 
mother Liberty. Reverence told him that he would have to make a 
hazardous journey to their brother Discipline, who would give him 

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a medicine that would reawaken Reliance.

Reliance must be awakened, for he was the only person who knew where the twins, Independence and Individualism, were hiding from persecution by Democracy. They were the only sons of Liberty that knew where their noble father resided. Leisure agreed to do these things and left promptly. 

Discipline's home was on the other side of the land of the Terrorists, and Leisure had to cross that awful land to get to Discipline more quickly. He was captured by two terrorists, but he quickly escaped when they got into an argument on who would get to torture bin. He easily found Discipline's home and acquired the vial or medicine from him. He hurried to the dwelling of Reliance and placed the bottle under Reliance's nose.

Reliance awoke with a start and asked for breakfast. Leisure gave him a crumbly biscuit that was in his pocket and asked desperately for the address or the twins. Reliance told him to go due south and into the woods or Reverence. There, he would find an extraordinary home from which he might hear Creativity, the son or Individualism and Inventiveness, playing his flute. They then bid each other farewell and parted sorrowfully, for they had been very close when they were children. 

Leisure carefully followed the directions and soon arrived at the fabulous home of Individualism and Independence. It was so beautiful that he longed to stay, but the twins reminded him that their brothers were counting on him to find their father. Leisure learned that he should follow a path leading to the east and not to stop to admire the beauty of the landscape. 

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Presently, Leisure came to a glade, where sat a tall, noble man with a strong, proud, but compassionate face. Leisure sauntered up to him and introduced himself and started to explain his errand. But the man beamed in recognition and hugged him fondly. 

"Not since you were a very young child have I seen you, my son," 

he said softly in his strong but tender voice. 

Leisure knelt before him. "So thou art my father." 

 

"Yes, my son. And why have you journeyed so far and long?" 

"I came to find you and ask for your help in rescuing mother," stated Leisure. 

"And that I will," said the Knight, as he buckled on his great sword. 

"But I had one other purpose for my quest. I had a great desire to discover the identity of my father," said Leisure. 

The Knight laughed. "I, the father or individualism, Independence, Reliance, Reverence and Leisure, and the servant of the Lady Liberty, am America." 

And Leisure felt a surge of confidence that good would return to the world, for he knew in his heart that with America, anything was possible. 

Mark wrote this when he was about 14 years old.