The Story of Mark Fisher. Part Nine
As told by Mark Fisher
Julie and I were not left alone. We were never left alone. She wanted to know why I was leaving and I couldn’t tell her the real reasons – that DM was crazy and was going to ruin Scientology. Instead I said that I wanted to leave and start a family and have children which we were not allowed to do in the Sea Org.
I could tell that this hurt her feelings, but she reluctantly was staying. She had been in the Sea Org since she was a young girl and had worked directly for LRH as one of his Messengers for years. She knew no other life.
I agreed to give Julie ½ of our savings. She could keep all the furniture and her stuff and I would take my clothes and the car. I wrote her a check for $8,500 which was half the money we had and she was taken away. I have not seen her since. I remember tears being shed as we parted, never to see each other again.
My car keys were given to me and I drove with security out to our storage locker at the apartment complex where our personal belongings were stored. The Security Guard then proceeded to search everything I was going to be taking with me. I could not take ANY photos with me from my years in the Sea Org. At that point, I didn’t care. I just wanted out for good. I did manage to sneak a few things out when security wasn’t looking but not much.
Once done, I said good bye to the Security Guards and drove off to put my things in storage in town and get some sleep.
September 15, 1990 - I was finally out for good. A day of mixed emotions. Free of the hold over me, but extremely sad to leave my wife and the only friends that I knew. Never to return again.
A FREE MAN
The next day, I felt free for the first time in years. I got in my car and decided to go on a road trip and enjoy my new found freedom with a trip up the Pacific Coast Highway from Los Angeles to San Francisco. I had always wanted to do it and now I could. I also needed to get my head on straight and sort out my emotions. I had just gone through the most traumatic experience of my life.
Pacific Coast Highway
I spent the next several days driving up the PCH and enjoying the sites. I stopped by and saw the Hearst Castle and Big Sur, Monterey, and San Francisco. Then I drove across to Lake Tahoe on the California/Nevada border. Then all the way down to Las Vegas. I was just getting my head right. Not knowing where I would eventually go and settle down.
I couldn’t go to my Dad or Brother. They had previously been declared Suppressive Persons and I was still in the Scientology mind set. They were dangerous in my mind. My Mother lived on the East Coast and wouldn’t be able to help me. I had no friends on the outside.
The only choice I had was to go to San Diego, where I showed up on the doorstep of my In-Laws. Julie’s father and step mother. I told them what had happened and they welcomed me with open arms! I had tears running down my face as I asked them for help. I will never forget their generosity in my time of real need.
Mark and Julie Fisher with her father Richard Caetano
From there, I decided to get away to Hawaii by myself for 10 days. I bought the tickets and went to Oahu and Kauai and just chilled out by myself. Towards the end of that trip, reality was beginning to hit me.
Mark in Hawaii - October 1990 after escape
What the hell was I going to do now? How was I going to find a job? Where would I live?
I had never lived on my own before, having joined the Sea Org immediately after graduating High School. What was rent? How do you set up a household? What would I do for work? It was all very scary.
Upon returning from Hawaii, I was at Julie’s father’s house and the phone rang. I picked it up to answer.
“Hello?” I said.
“Hello, is this the Richard Caetano who has a daughter named Julie?” the caller asked?
I recognized the voice immediately!
“Janis! How are you? How did you find me?” I asked.
Janis Grady had heard through sources that I had left and decided to track me down. She has always been good at reconnecting with people over the years since and has earned her nickname “The Oracle”. Since Julie’s maiden name was Caetano, it wasn’t hard to start calling all the Caetano’s in the San Diego area.
“Let’s get together and figure out what we are going to do.” She said. She and Paul were up in Santa Paula, California staying with her brother.
“I’m driving up to see you tomorrow!” I said.
At last, I was free and had some friends who were with me on the outside and we could help each other!
The future started to look much brighter!
To be continued……The unbelievable next 20 years of spying, infilitration, counter-intelligence, dirty tricks and all that money buys when paid into the "Church' of Scientology.
Statistics: Posted by Karen#1 — Sun Mar 10, 2013 5:31 am