Hey Wizard, wheres his brain, his courage and my heart?

I remember the first time I watched the Wizard of Oz. I was memorized by the color, the anticipation and fear when they kill the Wicked Witch. The joy of seeing the Scarecrow get his brain, the Tinman a heart, the Cowardly Lion his Courage and Dorothy back to her home. It never dawned on me as a child that it was really just a piece of paper, a ticking watch and a metal of honor. Dorothy got her home, but the other three got trinkets to make them feel like they had what they were missing. And as for the Wizard, well, he was just a man behind the curtain.

I’m starting to feel the shady lines between fantasy and reality. I’m not a child anymore. I know things are messy, and can not be cleaned up with a magic wand or a hot air balloon. Still, I guess for awhile the fantasy was nice… to pretend the Wizard was all powerful and knowing and could whisk my problems away behind the smoke and mirrors.

I’m back in black and white Kansas. I miss technocolor.

~ by kirbyann on October 7, 2008.