After finishing Becoming Nicole, i started on The Code of the Extraordinary Mind.
Baby/Faridah and i had a catch-up lunch where we talked about work and whatever else came to mind.
I shared with her what i’d recently read in the book – on Dean Kamen (the inventor of Segway amongst many other achievements including more than 440 patents) who started his own country and dubbed himself Lord Dumpling, of North Dumpling Island. It’s a real thing! It started because after buying his own island, Dean waned to build a wind turbine on it to create alternative energy. The state of New York turned down his appeal, claiming the noise would disturb the neighbours.
“It’s an island,” said Dean. “There are no neighbours!” – The Code of the Extraordinary Mind
Annoyed and adamant to make a point, Dean found a loophole with the help of an expert friend on constitutional law, and managed to secede not just from New York, but the entire United States. It was even written about in the New York Times in 1988 titled ‘a New Nation Asserts Itself’. North Dumpling Island became the third country in North America after the United States and Canada.
Dean created North Dumpling’s own constitution, anthem, and currency called the dumpling. There is so much more about this story but you’ll just have to read the book yourself, he even got President George H. W. Bush to sign a nonaggression pact with North Dumpling which received additional publicity.
Imagine that, i told Baby. Why stop at creating your own little bubble, when you could create your own world. Your own country! Imagine what we’d do if we had our own country…. i trailed off, my thoughts wandering to the possibilities of running an island dominated by only nice happy girls.
Baby sat up straighter, her eyes getting bigger and shinier as she caught on to the fantasy, “Everything will be PINK!”
I thought about how other colours besides pink would be nice, or else everything would be TOO pink!
How about letting everyone choose their own home colour? I suggested.
Okayyyy she agreed.
“If an island cost 10 million dollars, and we got… 100 girls to get in on it, each girl would pay 100 thousand bucks. It’s possible!”
“Of course, partners are allowed on it, but we can kick them off whenever we like.”
“We have to think about water and power supply too, the ones without will cost less.”
That night, i went home and found myself 5 minutes to randomly google it.
The next day, i reported back to her on how much it would cost and we continued fantasizing.
We’d co-exist peacefully and every girl can practice their skills and art form all day, be it dancing, cooking, healing…
“… and braid hair!” squealed Baby.
“…. Erm yes… i guess…”
Then a whatsapp message regarding work beeped in and we were back at our desks. Back to the grind.
But in higher spirits with thoughts of a rainbow island within the reach of reality in our midst.
