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The Real Gift The Wizard Gave Dorothy and Her Friends
It’s hiding in plain sight. And it’s yours to use, too.
This weekend I was channel surfing to pass the time before dinner.
I opted for the Wizard of Oz, even though there was just thirty minutes left in the movie.
I watched as 14 year old Dorothy kills the Wicked Witch of the West with a splash of water meant to save her friend the Scarecrow from a fiery death.
It’s amazing what you can do when you’re threatened.
Grabbing the broom she needs to approach the intimidating Wizard with her request to go home, she and her three friends head to the Emerald City.
As they arrive in the Wizard’s throne room, Dorothy and her friends tremble as she steps forward and lays the witch’s broom on the floor.
(What follows is an excerpt from the script)
“Can I believe my eyes?” the Wizard’s voice booms. “Why have you come back?”
“Please, sir.” Dorothy pleads. ”We’ve done what you told us. We’ve brought you the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the West. We melted her.”
“Oh, you liquidated her, eh? Very resourceful.”
“Yes, sir. So we’d like you to keep your promise to us, if you please, sir.”
”Not so fast! Not so fast! I’ll have to give the matter a little thought. Go away and come back tomorrow!”
“Tomorrow? Oh, but I want to go home now!”
“You’ve had plenty of time already!” the Tin Man chimes in.
“Yeah!” the Lion exclaims.
”Do not arouse the wrath of the Great and Powerful Oz. I said, come back tomorrow!”
As the Wizard speaks, Dorothy’s dog Toto pulls back the curtain.
Behind the intimidating voice of the Wizard is a washed up huckster who suffers from an overwhelming sense of inferiority and insecurity.
“Who are you?” Dorothy wonders.
“Well, I — I — I am the Great and Powerful — Wizard of Oz.”
“You are?”
“Uh — yes…”
