THE WIZARD OF OZ

BFF 127: Wizard of Oz

We sat in a semi-circle around the television set.  It was set in a blonde cabinet to match the rest of the living room furniture my parents had.  Not many people had blonde furniture, more had either the dark brown wood or the green stained wood.  Especially for a television cabinet. 

All six of us kids and my parents clustered around the television in the evening.  After our dinner was eaten, homework finished and the dishes all washed and put away.  Sometimes, for a special occasion just as this, we got popcorn.   The smell of freshly popped popcorn and melted butter doused with salt…mmmm….makes my mouth water just thinking about licking the warm butter dotted with salt from my fingers! 

I recall this as a Spring tradition.  A joyous occasion depicting the bleak black and white of winter manifesting into a wondrous colorful spring.  It impelled kids everywhere to turn off what we were watching on the tv, either Soupy Sales or The Three Stooges, and get outside.   We ran, jumped and burned off energy knowing the green season of Emerald City was just around the corner.  Climbing on top of the swing-set we watched the Wicked Witch’s henchmen march into the castle.  We plotted our castle take-over while peeking through over hurricane fence.  While none of us could hold our Toto, a large golden retriever by the name of Honey, she did follow us and wished to be held on our laps.  (mostly, she was food monitor….if you didn’t eat quickly she would take it from you) By bed-time, we could nearly smell the poppies ourselves as we lay our heads on our pillows for sleep.

Who DID’NT want to be Glinda?!  So beautiful, so knowing, so cool traveling around in that pink bubble!  And what a crown.  I’m tellin’ ya, a role model like that was very empowering! She out shown the ruby slippers. (of course, there was a competition about shoes…Christmas Carole and her paten leathers….) If we didn’t have glitter encrusted ruby shoes we had red tennis shoes or almost even better, red flip-flops.

Since those innocent times of my youth, I have become a little more cynical of Dorothy’s innocence.  I have become a bit more jaded about the whole Dorothy gets to keep the witch’s shoes just because the witch died….what’s up with that?  Finder’s keepers?  I don’t think so.  What about heirs?  I begin to think the Wicked Witch of the East had a legitimate claim.  Glinda sending an overly young Dorothy off on a “quest” to prove herself worthy?   What a bunch of hog wash!  Although, I have met people who seem to learn best under fire.  Sometimes am one of them.

My favorite portion of the movie?  A horse of a different color!!  That was exciting.  That made me look at life through the skewed lens I still wear!  (just off to the side and with a smirk on my face) To this end, I have found a video for your viewing pleasure, hopefully.  It is created by Mad Magazine and I find it hilarious!  But then..consider the source….as you click on the link below....

Wizard of Oz Alternate Ending

Leigh