This is the story of Norah and the little red coat. Many years ago, Keith Allan, a filmmaker, needed a kid in his horror short called "The Big Bed.
Basically, a tiny child gets attacked by a psycho pillow and wins.
It lasts all of a minute or maybe two.
Keith is an old family friend, and we love him. He and my sister, Keely, went to Florida State together, and Keith became our friend over the years. Or maybe Keith and Keely met in Seattle? It’s all blurring together.
For payment, Keith gave Norah this little red coat with furry polka-dot trim on the cuffs and collar. She loved it and pranced around in it immediately before the shoot.
But the filming needed to begin as it was already getting late on a Monday night - a school night. But Keith had said it wouldn't take long, and that Flannery and Lucy could help with props and lighting etc.
A family affair of filmmaking.
So the night we arrived, Flannery and Lucy walked little sister, Norah, into Keith’s apartment, while I parked the car.
The actor playing Norah's mother said to them, "Oh, are you the parents?"
I did not hear this, but Lucy was fuming when I arrived and whispered to me, "I knew I looked like a
teen mom."
"What are you talking about?"
“The lady wanted to know if WE WERE THE PARENTS? GROSS?”
I worked with teen moms then and Lucy didn't want to be a teenager with a baby, so I assured her she did NOT look like Norah’s mother, but she was still upset.
And Norah only cared about the coat and modeled it for us. Flannery was excited to help with the filmmaking.
Anyway, the filming lasted for hours, and around midnight, Norah was exhausted. We were all exhausted.
But as I said, Keith was a family friend - still, it was getting late and Norah decided she was done.
She folded her arms, scrunched up her face, and curled up on the bed, refusing to do one more take with the
psycho pillow.
She scowled and said, "I hate this. Let's go home, Mama."
I could see Keith's frustration and feel the tension in the room, but nothing could tempt her to begin filming again - no bribing, no pleading.
We all tried, but it was over.
Please Norah, come on, Norah!!! Norah!
Then Keith said it. It was one of things where you can't believe what you've just heard.
He said in a low mean voice, "Norah, do you want to keep the coat?"
Even the grip and the actress playing Norah's mother gasped.
Norah glared at Keith but she didn't cry. She wanted that little red coat.
The very next shot was a wrap and we were done.
We drove home through Silver Lake, and she wore her little red coat strapped in her carseat.
Kiffen met us at the car and carried her inside to bed.
Now that little red coat hangs on the wall in Birmingham. She wore it until she couldn't wear it anymore.
"The Big Bed" won some award for horror. I can't believe I found the link but here it is.
And here is Keith Allan too.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0019969/