Action

Roger Noons

Seven-Up times two

‘Mr Spielberg, would Steven like to come to the park? My dad’s taking me and we have sleds and flasks of hot soup.’

    ‘I’ll ask, but I think he’s busy at the moment. If you’d please wait.’

    Haddon Jersey was just about to leave when the old man returned.

    ‘He says thank you for the invitation, but he’s busy filming.’

    ‘Ah!’

    When the boy showed no inclination to leave, smiling, Arnold Spielberg said. ‘Perhaps he could do with an assistant. If you’d care to come inside?’

    The boy beamed. ‘That’s real kind of you, Sir.’

    As they entered the sitting room they were in time to watch the train as it turned the bend, crashed and rolled over. Smoke streamed across the green carpet. Steven, crouched behind the camera, was hissing and growling. The couple waited until he shouted ‘Cut.’

    ‘I’ve brought you an assistant, my boy.’

    ‘Thanks Dad. Hi Haddon, do you know anything about eight millimetre?’

    The lad shook his head.

    ‘Right, I’ll teach you. We’ll start with lighting.’

Steven Spielberg will be 71 on 18th December. He made his first film, the derailment of his model train, aged 12.