Some go both ways

He never thought he'd come back here again.  He wasn't even entirely sure why he had, except that he had simply started walking and this was where he ended up.


The Scarecrow ran a hand along the pole that he had been stuck on for. . .honestly, he didn't know how long he'd been there before, well, before.  Stuck in one place with no way of getting himself down, and no brain to even occupy him with thoughts.  No, it had taken a young farm girl from a place called Kansas to rescue the Scarecrow from his corn prison.


That was why he'd come back, and there was no use convincing himself otherwise.  His new brains wouldn't allow him to deceive himself like that.  He'd come here because it was where he'd first met Dorothy.  


The Scarecrow smiled sadly, recalling that meeting.  He'd given her those idiotic directions, about some people going one way or the other, and sometimes both ways.  He would always be thankful for Dorothy's generous heart, and her willingness to help a poor brainless Scarecrow.


He hadn't known then, how he felt.  How could he?  All he knew was that Dorothy was nice to him, and that she was a heck of a lot prettier to look at then fields of corn and the crows that came to peck at him.  He would have followed her willingingly to hell and back, and practically had, considering his fiery encounter with the Wicked Witch of the West.  He hadn't understood why he wanted to protect Dorothy, either.  Not until it was too late.


Fat lot of good his new brains were, when they didn't let him in on the secret until there was nothing he could do about it.  But then, hearts and brains didn't always agree, so it was no wonder it took him so long to realize he loved her.  


That one kiss goodbye she gave him had put his heart and head to rights.  He would admit he practically cheered when the wizard's balloon flew off without Dorothy.  She could stay with them, with him, and he wouldn't have to lose her.  But then Glinda flew in and suddenly there were real goodbyes and Dorothy was gone, back to that Kansas place with her beloved uncle and aunt.  Scarecrow hoped they knew how much Dorothy loved them, that she wanted to badly to return to them.


She was never coming back.  Scarecrow knew it, though the Tin Woodsman and Lion both seemed to think that she would return some day.  Scarecrow would just shake his head silently.  Why would she come back, when it had been back home she'd been striving to get to during the whole time they knew her?  What possible reason could she possibly have to return to Oz?  


Love, perhaps.  But he had never said it, and she had never heard it.  And who knew if it would have helped at all?  She may have stayed, but she would be homesick and probably grow to hate them all. To hate him.  No, it was better this way.  He just had to keep telling himself that.


But, just the same, perhaps he'd just sit down here by the fence for a while, and watch the world go by.  And perhaps, someone would come along wanting to know which way to go, this way, that way. . .

Or perhaps even both ways.