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One day, I went to
Kansas.
Then I had the feeling that I wasn't in Kansas any more.
My keen instincts were correct. I had left Kansas. I was
at home in the Greater Hartland area.
When I returned home, I brought a gift for my wife. It
wasn't the best gift, but I thought that it was an
appropriate gift from someone returning from
Kansas.
The gift appeared to be an empty jar. Nothing but the best
for my baby. The jar had a lid on it. It needed a secure
lid to keep the contents safely inside. Yes, it looked like
an empty jar, but looks can be deceiving. The label on the
jar read, "Warning: This jar contains one Kansas tornado.
Do not open." I just hope that I am not spoiling my wife
with my largesse.
The gift was in reference to "The Wizard of Oz"-one of the
most popular movies of all time. This grand film of 1939 is
a favorite of the young at heart. It is more than a movie.
It has become an institution and a cultural phenomenon.
Based on the L. Frank Baum book, it aired the first time on
television in 1956. "The Wizard of Oz" starred 16-year-old
Judy Garland (she had turned 17 by the time the movie began
showing) playing Dorothy. She had a little dog named Toto
that lead to about a million other dogs owned by viewers
being named Toto. The movie featured Uncle Henry, Auntie
Em, Hunk, Zeke, Hickory, Miss Gulch, the Scarecrow, the Tin
Man, the Cowardly Lion, Glinda the good witch, the Wicked
Witch of the East and of the West (two locations for your
convenience, but which witch is which?), flying monkeys, a
million Munchkins, a horse of a different color, trees that
throw apples and the great and all powerful Wizard of Oz. I
don't think that the wizard was an elected position, but if
so, I'm guessing he was a Congressman.
Just about everyone likes "The Wizard of Oz." I can't
remember anyone ever telling me, "I really hate 'The Wizard
of Oz.'" Most of us know that the Scarecrow longed for a
brain, the Tin Man wanted a heart and the Lion desired
courage. Dorothy needed to see the Wizard so she could get
back to
Kansas.
I guess road maps weren't much good in those days. Toto was
in search of a tasteful flea collar and a tree that didn't
throw apples at him.
"The Wizard of Oz" has left its mark on our lives.
"We're off to see the Wizard."
"Ding, dong, the witch is dead."
"O-e-o, E-o."
"If, I only had a brain/a heart/the nerve."
"Auntie Em, Auntie Em."
We would watch it once a year on television. It was a break
from the real world and its math requirements. My wife, The
Queen B, and I were not long into our married lives. We
would get out the TV trays-the good ones. We would peel
back the foil on a rubbery chicken TV dinner, click our
heels three times, turn on the TV and prepare to be
entertained by the goings-on in and around the
Emerald
City. Life was good and so was the movie. There were no
silly martial arts battles, no car chases and no
decapitations. The worst things that happened other than
the commercials were a scary tornado, a house falling on one
witch and another witch melting.
"I'm melting! I'm melting!"
We had no VHS or DVD, so it was a big deal to see "The
Wizard of Oz" once a year on TV.
"Follow the yellow brick road."
"Somewhere over the rainbow."
"The Wizard of Oz" taught us so much. We learned that only
Dorothy should ride a tornado. We learned that ruby slippers
are fine for hiking down yellow brick roads. We learned
that the folks who lived in Oz looked much like the
residents of
Kansas.
We learned that only bad witches are ugly. We learned that
if you are a Wicked Witch of the East, you should always
keep an eye out for falling farmhouses. We learned that
life's journey requires heart, wisdom and courage. The
Scarecrow became intelligent. The Tin Man became
affectionate. The Lion became courageous. We knew that
these were qualities that they had all the time, but needed
to be realized. We learned that wizards do not have all the
answers. The answers are within.
Oh, we learned one other thing.
There is no place like home.
?ŠAl Batt 2003
Hartland,
MN
56042
SnoEowl @ aol.com
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To read archived stories, click on this link:
http://archives.zinester.com/9516/2004
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Blessings to you today
Bob Johnston
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