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Daddy’s going to make me a star.
He says I’ve got real talent and he wants to make a film with me playing the lead. I’ve never been in a film before.
I didn’t know that Daddy knew how to make films but he says he has made some with a few of his friends. They film them with a video camera and sell them to people. I ask why I haven’t seen any of these films and Daddy explains that they only made a few copies to see if people liked them.
That means there won’t be any famous people in the film. I ask if Mummy will be in it and Daddy says no, it’s a secret, Mummy mustn’t know about it. He wants to surprise her. I clap my hands and giggle as I think of the look on Mummy’s face when she sees the film.
*
Daddy buys me a new dress for the film. A nice pink one. And some ribbons for my hair. I want to know if I’m going to wear makeup but Daddy says I’m too pretty to need any. Besides, makeup is for boring old grownups, he wants me to look like the pretty young girl that I am.
I sing to him and he tells me my voice is beautiful. After that I do a little dance for him and Daddy says I look like a little ballerina.
I ask if my friends can be in the film when we make it. Daddy thinks about it and then smiles. Maybe if he and his friends make some more, he says.
*
Not telling anyone that I’m going to be in a film is hard. I’m so excited I feel like I’m going to burst. It’s like someone has put a balloon inside my tummy and now they are pumping it up so that it keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger. But I don’t tell anyone, I’m a good little girl.
Daddy knows that I’m good with secrets. I never told Mummy about the time I got up in the night to go to the toilet and found Daddy watching a film. He asked me not to tell Mummy because it was a scary film and she didn’t like that sort of thing. It must have been scary because when I came in Daddy jumped as if he were really frightened. But ever since then he knows that I can keep a secret.
There are times I’ve nearly told people about the film though. I’m dying to tell Susie and Lorraine because they’re my best friends. And when Wayne Bradley teases me in the playground I want to tell him that he’s just a silly little boy and that I am going to be a famous film star.
I nearly told Simon Jacobs once, just because I thought he’d be a good person to keep it secret; he never talks to anyone. No one likes Simon. ’Cos he’s so quiet. And he smells of poo. At least everyone says he does. I’ve never been close enough to tell.
Even Simon’s own daddy doesn’t like him. He can’t do, because his daddy is one of my daddy’s friends who are going to help him make the film. If Simon’s daddy liked Simon he would use him in one of his films. But he can’t have, otherwise Simon would be famous by now. Besides, I saw Simon crying once. Just sitting in the corner of the playground sobbing his eyes out for no reason. Who’s going to make a film about a cry-baby?
*
I get Daddy to tell me what the film is going to be about. He says that I’ll probably do some singing and dancing and then he and his friends will play some games with me. That doesn’t sound like a very good story to me but Daddy says that’s what the people who’ll buy the film will want.
When I ask him what sort of people will watch it he goes quiet for a moment. Then he starts talking again, telling me that he thinks he’ll be able to make money on the film. He talks about selling it all round the country and probably abroad as well. With all that money, he says, he’ll be able to buy me lots of presents.
But I’m still thinking about all the different people who will watch my film. People all across the world will watch me and know my face. I’m going to be famous.
*
I’m getting really impatient to make the film. But Daddy says we can’t do it unless Mummy goes out or it’ll spoil the surprise. I’m fed up waiting. I want to make the film! I can tell that Daddy is tired of waiting as well. He wants to start the film as much as I do.
*
Mummy’s going out tonight. There’s going to be some sort of party where she works. She tells me she can’t take me because it’s a party for grownups. She looks surprised that I don’t mind but she doesn’t know about the film. Daddy says that he will stay at home to look after me as he doesn’t feel very well. Mummy says okay then kisses me on the cheek and tells me not to stay up too late.
After Mummy leaves Daddy phones his friends and asks them to come round. Then he takes me into my bedroom and helps me change into my dress. He ties the ribbons in my hair then asks me to do a twirl. Daddy gives a little gasp and says I look beautiful. His voice sounds funny.
We go into the living room and Daddy pulls the curtains. I sit down and watch TV while we wait for his friends. I hope they get here soon. Making the film is going to be so much fun. And afterwards I’ll be rich and famous just like Daddy promised.
Daddy’s going to make me a star. © Stuart Young 1997
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