"What is this?" George Lucas who had been in constant meetings to finally begin the shooting for his movie, was currently having a one-to-one meeting with Mark.

"My letter of resignation."

"I can see that. What I cannot see... is why?"

"Because I have successfully sold my first script."

"Oh..."

"It was not sold for a lot, and is definitely nothing compared to Star Wars, but I feel like it would be considerably more productive to work on my scripts full-time instead of doing it in my free time."

"But that doesn't mean you should just leave the company in the middle of our most ambitious project... while working on the script for an even more ambitious aspect. What about the vision you described to me?"

"Mr. Lucas. I have full faith, not just in our script, but in your ability to make the movies you intend on making. I can sufficiently say they will be a resounding success, perhaps more than any of us ever expected."

"Then..."

"However, participating in a big-budget box-office hit merely as a junior scriptwriter, that too a sequel since I was an intern while making the script for the first movie so my name was not even on the credits, would be far less impactful to my career and creativity than working alone, on a much smaller movie. But one where I have made the entire script."

"You will regret this."

"I will. I know it. Star Wars, at least the first trilogy you intend on making, will likely cement itself in the history of movie-making, from what I have seen. However, I have also seen that I will be stuck with nothing after writing the three scripts before even the first movie is completed. Plus, I cannot become a senior scriptwriter since Kraig honestly has more experience than me, and has worked more with you and the company than me. My prospects lie elsewhere," Mark stated while acting to be deep in thought as he looked out of the floor to ceiling window behind Mr. Lucas' desk.

"I see. It seems you have made your decision. I wish you the best of luck then. You do not need to spend the next two weeks at the company. The paperwork will be sent to you via mail at your address. I wish it did not come to this, but please do not return. I do not wish to associate myself with someone who will abandon the company in its time of need."

"There seems to be a misunderstanding Mr. Lucas. The company does not need me. It was I who needed the company. I needed money to pay for living expenses while I wrote my script. Still, just as I have used you, you have used me as well. Leaving me an intern with no credit while I worked on the first movie. I am sorry it has to come to this, but I feel like this is what I need in my life now."

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

"And what would that be? A life without certainty of when your next pay check will be? A life of constant struggle to break into the industry?"

"A life with control over my own creativity," Mark said with finality.

George sighed and waved Mark to leave his office. He was down a junior scriptwriter in whom he saw much the same imagination as himself, but he had too much work currently to get back to and could not waste it on Mark. So he simple let him go. Of course, he would not be petty and give him the month's pay minus the days he would be missing from now on, just to keep a connection with the writer. he was not sure, but he felt he might just make something of himself one day.

...

Mark left the office after getting the numbers and addresses of all the staff to keep in contact for the future. Silvia and Luke, the two newcomers to the scriptwriting team, were particularly disheartened when Mark broke the news to them, but belt better when he told them about having sold his first script successfully.

"He was jealous of you Mark... that Dan," Mark's father said as he floated beside the briskly walking Mark.

'I know. But it does not matter. It is unlikely that I will have contact with them again.'

"Coincidences happen Mark. Both good and bad," Mark's father said while slowly vanishing into thin air as Mark crossed a TV store that was playing the news on 6 different TVs that were on display.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! Breaking news from the 1976 presidential race: the results are in, and Georgia’s Jimmy Carter has defeated President Gerald Ford to become the 39th President of the United States! Carter’s victory marks a significant shift, as the former governor and self-proclaimed Washington outsider appealed to voters disillusioned with government scandals and economic challenges. Carter’s campaign, grounded in his folksy image and Southern roots, resonated with Americans seeking a leader of integrity and change. Meanwhile, Ford faced criticism for his pardon of Richard Nixon and lingering economic woes, which overshadowed his “tested leadership” campaign. Carter’s win secures a historic moment as the first Southern Democrat elected since the Civil War, setting a hopeful tone for the country’s future! Reporting from outside the white house, Sarah will be taking over, Sarah, if you will."

Mark listened to this point before continuing to walk. It was important information that would affect the country as a whole. Personally he had not gone to vote. It would not mean much. the entire system set-up in America was not a true democracy. It was a capitalist democracy, where only two candidates would ever have any hope of actually winning, with a majority being decided by how much is being spent to sway the new outlets and conduct... advertising to the public.

If he wanted to make an impact on this system, it could only be done with enough money, and that would only happen far in the future. Perhaps with the onset of social media some decades later, things will change and turn into a closer form of democracy with equality of information to an extent. But not anytime soon.

For now, Mark had a cook-book to read, and a script to complete.

"Don't forget to eat some food honey~" his mother said as though waving him goodbye from the distance.

"You also have to go to the bank to ensure the money had indeed reached you," his father said sternly next to his mother, near the end of the block behind him.

Mar simply ignored them, but made a note internally to complete those tasks as well. It was going to be a long day.