Tale of an Untalented Artist

Chapter 3 | The Legend

"Every child is an artist" - Pablo Picasso

"What's the Kongdim?" I asked. "And do you guys social distance here?"

"Of course we do," Tova said. "We have to take care of each other."

I climbed of the fluffy pillow and dusted myself off. "How many of you guys are there anyway?"

"Five," Tova said firmly. "Like the pods in school. There were only five of us anyway, but...Well, c'mon Dimmilies, introduce yourselves!"

Oros Academy was a smallish school, so I pretty much could recognize anyone. Still I didn't know their names plus each girl wore a mask with a big sparkly "K" on it. Not the uniform "Oros" brand like I wore smothered against my nose.

A girl with wide, clear blue eyes and curly red hair stepped forward. "I'm Pop, official Song and Dance producer. Laaaaaaa!"

A girl with thick, fogged up glasses and shiny black bangs stepped next to her. "I'm Boomie, Master Scientist and Inventor."

"Mess maker," Pop corrected.

"Same thing," Boomie retorted with pride.

"Okay, stop shying away, Dina's one of us." Tova beckoned to another masked girl.

"I'm Double O," a girl with serious brown eyes and two brown braids said. "Chief Officer of Random Information."

"And I'm Cookie," a very little girl said, with shiny eyes and two cheerful pigtails tied with two pink bows. "I'm the Chef Extraordinaire. Specializing in cookies and quiche."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I turned to the friend I though I knew.

"And what name do you go by in the Kongdim?" I asked.

"'Sprout'," Tova said. "My specialty is with plants. Growing things."

"Digging things," Pop corrected.

"Oh yeah!" Tova cheered and then stopped. "Now Dina, you've stumbled across a very secret club. One of the oldest secret clubs in Oros Academy. And the only people who have been inducted are people who have been found by it. There's no way else to explain how it gathers us together. The Kongdim is a very mysterious place."

I stared at her, not sure whether she was playing with me.

"C'mon," Tova, or Sprout, said. 

She led me past mountains of teetering books, trays of steaming chocolate chip cookies, and a sweet garden neatly labeled with an array of flowers and vegetables.

"My babies," Sprout said fondly, gently touching a pink petal as we walked by.

Finally, we stopped at a white wall. Most of the times, one wouldn't describe a wall. A wall is a wall. Usually, one would assume, that a wall is white. But in this strange place - not in the Kongdim. In the Kongdim, all the other walls had scribbles and splatters and, well, dirt. We were underground, after all.

But this wall was stark, bright white, only made white-er by the bright lamps shining upon it.

"Wow," I said. "That is a white wall."

"Oh Dina," Sprout said. "This isn't any white wall. This is THE White Wall.  It's the reason behind the Kongdim. The Kongdim will exist as long as The White Wall remains white."

"What do you mean?"

Sprout's black eyes flashed. She took me over to a corner behind one of the lamps. It was a very dark corner in contrast - I could hardly see what I was looking at! But then Sprout flicked on another light.

I gasped.

A magnificent, ancient, and dusty throne lit up the corner. It's armrests glinted. The light shone off the faded, purple velvet. It's crown sparkled. 

"This belonged to Queen Drew. We don't know her real name. Only that she attended Oros Academy more than thirty years ago."

"All this has been around for thirty years?"

"You better believe it," Boomie said from behind me. 

"Read her the letter," Cookie said eagerly.

Sprout reached behind a faded tasseled pillow propped on the throne seat. She pulled out a yellowed scroll tied with red yarn. She cleared her throat, making odd noises, and then began:

"Dear faithful Dimmilies,

I write this letter in the hope that the Kongdim still exists. The point of this letter is not to explain the history of this magical place. It hardly matters. I do wish, however, to explain the mission of any member of my Kongdim: The Mission of the White Wall.

The Mission of the White Wall is twofold.

Mission Number One: To develop one's interests in an environment which encourages self-expression. 

Mission Number Two: The White Wall itself. The White Wall must be painted by both adult and child. The adult represents the restrained and disciplined, the experienced and wise. The child represents the unapologetic creative and confidence of self, the exploring and questioning. Together, the powerful combination will take the journey of the Kongdim to its end. For once adult and child can work together, there is no more need to hide.

The qualifications of the second mission are complex. Please address the current Dimmily leader for more information listed in the Document of Essential Details.

May success be with you.

Fondly,

Queen Drew."

I looked at Sprout.

She rolled up the scroll and gently returned it to its place. "Dina, when I saw you drawing, it made me think. You're not the class artist. We've had one for years. Nevertheless, you were drawn close to the Kongdim, at the moment when I was leaving, and there are no coincidences. I think Hashem brought you to us for a reason - I think YOU can be the Painter of the White Wall. There always is one. The tough part, which is in the Document of Essential Details, is finding a qualified adult to paint it with you."

"But I can't-" I was terribly flustered. 

"You're a Dimmily," Cookie said solemnly, taking my hand. "Whether you want to be or not."

I looked at Pop. She gave me a nod. I looked at Boomie. She gave me a thumbs up. I looked at Double O, whose eyes crinkled up in an affirming smile.

I gulped. "Okay," I said. "I'll do it."

"Great," Sprout said. "Now all you need is a new name. In the meantime...get practicing!"