Tin Man's Heart
It's an incredible feeling, being handed your heart. The Tin Man gazed upon the heart with a sense of amazement. The heart was on a chain and had a clock on it, like one of those fancy pocket watches all rich men seem to carry in their vests.
As soon as the Wizard placed the heart in the Tin Man's hands he felt an overwhelming sensation of soaring high above the ground. He could feel himself spinning with the excitement. Finally possessing a heart. Finally being able to feel…
The soaring sensation ended abruptly as the Tin Man fainted. He could hear Dorothy screaming, "Help him!"
The Tin Man could feel himself falling but before he lost consciousness his last coherent thought before he passed out was, Dorothy, don't worry…
The Tin Man awoke the next day with a slight dent in his head, but he would worry about that later. He noticed his bleak surroundings were that of a hospital seeing that he was lying on a hospital bed with the clean white sheets. He looked vaguely around his room and noticed that his oil can was right by his bedside table.
The Tin Man rubbed the dent in his head as he sat up from the uncomfortable bed. For the first time he noticed that he wasn't alone in the room. Scarecrow, Lion, and Dorothy were there sitting on the chairs in back of where he lay on his side.
"I hope we didn't wake you up." Dorothy inquired as soon as she noticed he was awake. She got up quickly from her chair and crossed the room ready to help Tin Man in any way she could.
"No, I'm fine. It's just that when he handed me my heart yesterday, I guess he didn't realize that the impact of all the emotions at once would make anyone faint. But it's wonderful to be able to feel." The Tin Man added with a warm smile spreading on his metal features.
"Hey, how about Lion and I go get some lunch for all of us before we go to the ceremony?" the Scarecrow offered before dashing out of the room with the Lion in close quarters.
"Ceremony, what ceremony?" the Tin Man asked Dorothy, who was sitting on his hospital bed.
Dorothy bit her lip before answering, "Tin Man, while you were unconscious the Wizard asked me about my wish to go home. He said that if I wanted, he's from Kansas too, and would be able to take me home at once."
"Where is Kansas? Is it in the Gillikins?" the Tin Man asked Dorothy, "I've never heard of the place and I'd like to come visit you sometime."
"I'm afraid Kansas isn't in the Gillikins or Oz at all, Tin Man. I don't think you'll ever be able to visit." Dorothy dropped her gaze to the white cotton sheets on the bed, "I'm sorry."
The Tin Man could definitely tell that he had a heart now. He felt it stop for a second with the agonizing thought that Dorothy would be leaving Oz, but more importantly him.
Tin Man didn't know when it happened along the journey but he started to feel a strong bond of friendship between all of his new friends, but none so strong as the one he felt for Dorothy.
He wasn't certain of the bond until the Wicked Witch of The West's monkeys kidnapped Dorothy leaving behind Lion, Scarecrow, and him alone in the forest. Tin Man knew that he would have done anything to save Dorothy. He couldn't have cared less that he had seriously injured the solider that was attacking them outside the castle. Plus with a blinding force Tin Man didn't realize that he was chopping down the witch's door until he had broken through and Dorothy rushed out to give him a hug of thanks. There was a driving power so strong in him that night that he believed, for a brief moment, that it was love. But, alas, he didn't have a heart, so how could he feel love?
Now, Tin Man sat on his bed with the weight of his heart pinned to his chest like a fancy pocket watch weighing him down to the pits of despair. He wanted to explain these feelings to Dorothy before she left. To make her understand that even though he had his doubts before, he knew that he loved her now, "Dorothy, I—"
Tin Man didn't get any further with that when Scarecrow and Lion came back with a tray of lunch for all of them.
"So, Tin Man, what do you think? I mean the Wizard leaving us in charge?" Scarecrow asked happily as he sat down to eat.
The Tin Man nearly choked on the tea he had been drinking, "Excuse me?" he demanded rather loudly as he eyed Scarecrow with disbelief.
Dorothy shot a glare at the Scarecrow before giving Tin Man a worried look, "One of the conditions that the Wizard would take me home would be that you three would rule in his stead."
Tin Man set his teacup down on the table before he could drop it onto the floor. This was turning out to be one of those days where everything bad happens at once.
An unknown voice chimed in the Tin Man's head, It always comes in threes. As he thought about what Dorothy had just told him.
What could possibly be worse? He asked the unknown voice as he gripped the edge of the bed as if he were going to pass out again.
"I don't want to rule Oz!" he managed to blurt out causing his worried friends to jump.
"But you will, won't you? Without you, I can't go back to Kansas."
Tin Man could feel the wheels in his head turning and it felt as if a tank was crushing his heart. If he said he wouldn't do it then Dorothy would have to stay and therefore he would be able to see her all the time.
But, the unknown voice said, she would never be happy. Dorothy will always miss the life she had in Kansas.
The Tin Man sighed with tears brimming in his eyes. He would rather never see Dorothy, but know that she was happy in Kansas than seeing her all the time being miserable and unhappy.
"I'll…I'll do it. For you Dorothy."
Dorothy who was overcome with excitement and relief at the thought of going home gave the Tin Man a kiss on the cheek, "Thank you." She murmured into his ear.
Too stunned with grief to form an articulate thought the Tin Man just nodded.
The afternoon drew to an end, as the ceremony loomed closer, it was going to take place in the vast entranceway of the Emerald City. All the people turned out in their best emerald clothes to see and hear the Great Wizard of Oz for the first time since his peculiar appearance several years ago.
Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion were lined up behind the large emerald doors where they first waited to meet the Wizard. Everyone stood in tense silence shaking from head to toe at the thought of what lay ahead for all of them.
The Wizard was seen walking towards them with great powerful strides. He seemed very excited at the idea of getting out of Oz, "Everyone ready?" he asked in a bubbly manner.
Everyone muttered that they were ready to begin. The Wizard grabbed a hold of the doors and opened them with great gusto.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Presenting the Wizard of Oz!" An unseen announcer exclaimed. The Wizard was immediately greeted with great applause and the crowd roared as he walked toward the hot air balloon, which was in the middle of the crowd.
With a great pang in his heart the Tin Man realized that this was it. It was his last chance to tell Dorothy how he really felt about her. He watched her follow the Wizard into the basket to the balloon.
The Wizard waved heartily to the crowd while the Tin Man stood in back of Dorothy outside of the basket. The Wizard began to address the people of Emerald City about where he was going in a very loud voice.
Tin Man stood in strained silence trying to drum up the courage to talk to Dorothy before she went away forever. He had never felt such fear at admitting three simple words, "I love you." He had a terrible feeling that Dorothy would reject him and his feelings. Although, he didn't know why she would, he was the one that she clung onto when meeting the Wizard for the first time. It was he that saved her from the Witch's room in the castle. He even took her by the hand and tried to run out of the place as fast as he could. But, nevertheless, here he stood afraid to even get her attention.
The Wizard's speech was winding down he said, "And till what time (if any) I return. Confer, converse, and otherwise hobnob with my brother wizards." The Wizard began to introduce the three of them to the people, which they would soon rule, "The Scarecrow for his magnificent brain, the Tin Man for his caring heart, and the Lion for his wonderful courage. Obey them as you would me." He ended on a friendly note then he added in an undertone so only those near the balloon could hear, "Now, let's get out of here."
The Tin Man started to help untie the roped that held the balloon down. It was just at that moment he heard Toto barking. He turned to see that Toto had run off and Dorothy had gone to get him.
"Somebody get that dog!" the Tin Man shouted. He looked back towards the balloon but noticed that it had already taken off. Tin Man tried to pull the balloon back to the ground so that Dorothy could jump in but it was too heavy.
Tin Man could feel Scarecrow's arms around his waist, "Let it go, Tin Man! Or you'll be going with him!" Tin Man let the rope go feeling like a failure.
Scarecrow patted the Tin Man on the back, "It was a valiant effort, my friend."
Dorothy was heard shouting for the Wizard to come back. The Wizard didn't come back; he barely knew how to operate the hot air balloon.
"Now, I'll never get home." Dorothy cried into her handkerchief.
"Don't go Dorothy, we all love you." Lion said as he mopped his tears with his tail. My thoughts exactly, The Tin Man thought as he watched Dorothy contemplate the thought of never returning to Kansas, wherever that was.
"Oh, that's very kind of you, but this could never be like Kansas," Dorothy said looking at the three of them with tears in her eyes.
Scarecrow looked up suddenly towards the sky and exclaimed, "Look, there might be somebody who can help you." The Scarecrow pointed at the pink bubble floating towards the four of them. The bubble landed near them and Glinda the Good Witch of the North was standing in front of them in all of her pink splendor. The Tin Man's heart seemed to sink at the sight of her. Glinda was the most powerful sorceress in all of Oz, she was known for being able to do anything.
Sure enough, Glinda told Dorothy she could go home to Kansas wherever she wanted. Tin Man felt a tear roll down his cheek.
Dorothy was almost delirious with happiness at the prospect of going home. She started to say goodbye to everyone. Dorothy approached Tin Man first, she gave him a gentle hug, "Oh, don't cry. You rust so dreadfully." she rummaged though her basket, "Here's your oilcan." She handed him the oilcan.
It's now or never. He thought as he let out a slight sob, "Now I know I've got a heart, because it's breaking."
Dorothy paused as if she were going to say something consoling but apparently finding nothing she could say looked away from him to say goodbye to the others.
Dorothy told the Lion that she was going to miss the way he yelled for help. Then came Scarecrow and the most heart-breaking words he's ever heard.
"I think I'll miss you most of all," Dorothy whispered to the Scarecrow when they embraced.
Dorothy would miss the Scarecrow the most? After all they had been though, Scarecrow? Tin Man was shocked. He didn't know what to do. He was surprised into silence. He watched as Dorothy disappeared from Oz, without his telling her how he truly felt.
Tin Man sat with his head in his hands. The tears slipped silently down his cheeks. He didn't care that he was rusting. He was sitting in his new bedroom in the highest tower in the City. It was becoming very dark in the room as night approached.
"I love her more than he ever would have." The Tin Man said bitterly into the darkness.
The Tin Man leapt up from his bed and started to pace furiously in his room.
Dorothy was so beautiful and sweet. They would tell each other stories of their lives before they met. She told Tin Man all about the farm, Auntie Em, Uncle Henry, and the farmhands that helped them maintain it.
They talked about everything, from the differences of animals and Animals (he was told that Dorothy had never heard of Animals before she met Lion), the Wicked Witches of the East and West, and what were they going to do first when the Wizard granted them their wishes.
Tin Man plunked himself down into a chair in front of a vanity with a mirror. He has said that he would find somebody to love. He never would have guessed that he would have fallen in love with Dorothy. He never really thought that she would leave to go back to Kansas.
None of this would have happened if you didn't have a heart. The unwelcome voice popped into the Tin Man's head again. Tin Man shook his head trying to get rid of the voice; All these feelings can't be from my heart, can it?
The Wizard's voice all of a sudden was resounding in his head at the memory of something he had said, "You want a heart. You don't know how lucky you are not to have one. Hearts will never be practical until they are made unbreakable."
A grim realization hit the Tin Man. His heart was really broken and the pain, both physically and mentally was unbearable. He never expected this much agonizing pain over Dorothy leaving. If he had, he never would have agreed to coming on the journey to see the Wizard of Oz.
Tin Man looked down at the heart that was clipped onto his chest, "If this is what it is like to have heart then I don't want to be able to love anymore." With that the Tin Man took his heart off and gently placed onto the table top of the vanity.
As soon as he let go he felt the familiar hollowness in his chest. Tin Man gave his ticking a heart a ghost of a smile as a tear of sad relief trickled down his cheek as the blissful emptiness encompassed him completely, "Dorothy I love you," Tin Man whispered to the darkness knowing that she would never know that the Tin Man, who didn't have a heart, learned how to love.