"The Coat Of Courage"
Page 1
I stand in line, waiting.
It used to be that I'd stand and wait to be served, to draw my money out without passing a glance and be on my way.
Now it feels like so much more than that.
I'm waiting for an opportunity, for my moment, my time.
Days come and go but my moment never comes, never stands shoulder to shoulder with me, to whisper in my ear, 'Just ask her.'
But maybe there won't be a sign, something physical, something real.
Maybe it's a feeling.
Maybe I won't know until it has gone.
Maybe - my number is called.
Cashier 6.
My lucky number.
It's her.
Maybe this is the sign.
I approach the desk.
She smiles.
Asks how I am.
Ask her back, stupid.
She counts out my money.
Hands it to me.
She looks at me with those piercing blue eyes.
She does not recognise me, "Have a nice day."
My moment has passed.
Page 2
I walk out into the cold November morning, the frosty air siezing my face.
I take a deep breath.
All it takes is a little self-belief.
A little bit of courage.
Courage.
Mom.
What was it she used to say?
No.
It was so much more than that.
'The Coat Of Courage'.
The on thing more than anything that released me from my shell, gave me the strength to face the challenges that lay ahead of me, to overcome any boundaries.
Primary school christmas play.
I was chosen to play the lead, King Herod, in an effort to bring me out of my shell.
I couldn't do it.
Those first rehearsala, the bright spotlights that cast gloomy shadows over the audience's faces, highlighting their eyes.
Just staring at me watching, waiting.
I ran home crying to Mom, told her I couldn't do it, I couldn't stand the pressure.
She knelt downin front of me, gently brushed her hand down my forehead telling me to close my eyes...
Page 3
"Close your eyes. Now picture yourself on that stage. You have your costume on, your crown is on your head. You're looking from the audience. You can see yourself, nervous, scared. Now you're on the stage, looking out. You put a coat on. Not just any coat - this is a special coat. It's invisible, and no one else can see it but you, no one else can feel it but you. It's 'The Coat Of Courage'. When you wear it my son, it makes you strong, brave and fearless. It makes you whatever you want to be."
Mom would motion over my shoulders putting on the 'The Coat Of Courage".
The smell of her perfume surrounded me.
The coat was on, and I felt it change me.
I opened my eyes, a new boy.
For the rest of the day I wore 'The Coat Of Courage', only taking it off after I came off stage.
I kept it.
I knew it was my secret weapon, what I'd need again one day.
It was time to dust it off.
I stood outside the bank wearing 'The Coat Of Courage'.
It was now or never.
As I walked in 'I can do this'.
All my life I had been afraid to take a risk.
It's time.
Page 4
I stood in the queue.
There she sat, smiling brightly, her eyes the colour of summer sky.
I approached the cash desk.
I felt different.
My posture, my eyeline, everything about me felt different.
I was a presence.
She spoke to me, her usual 'by the numbers' customer service.
Then she looked at me...
I looked her square in the eyes.
This time she noticed me.
She spoke, 'It's Joe right?'
She didn't read it from the screen.
Realising this, I squeezed the inside of my coat pockets for support.
I spoke back, our conversation flowed, I made her laugh.
My courage shone through me and made me stronger.
I loosened my grip on the coat.
As I turned to leave I siezed my opportuninty, not knowing when the next moment would occur.
Using everything the coat had to give me, I asked her to meet me sometime.
She agreed, giving me an honest wave and smile.
I stepped out into the street, a reinvigorated man, I thankfully wrapped my arms around the coat.
I knew I had it inside.
">my picci strip staring my moms cat snowy the original evil kittyPage rough outs very basic idea
Page1
boy makes a wish at devils creek for a friend, the devils hear his wish and they think it’s the perfect chance for some mischief and start making him a little gift they take the gift to him.
Page2
the boy turns and finds the gift and goes to it
Page3
the boy picks it up and hugs it tightly, the gift gives a evil grin cuts off,
Page4
showing the location of the story, boy sits with gift at dinner table mother cooks in kitchen, gift turns to boy and tells him to throw food at his mother
Page5
splat mother is hit with food turns around, and yells at boy boy tries to tell her about the gift, but thinks his lying because it’s a toy
Page6
boy walks down road, gift tells him to smash a car window, the boy picks up rock and then drops it
Page7
smash the cars windows broken, owner comes out and chases boy
Page8
boy gets home, mother finds out, boy in trouble
Page 9
gift tells boy to get rid of her boy squirms and protests and fights the idea
Page10
gift takes it into his own hand and attempts the assassination boy and mother shocked
Page11
boy fights gift
Page12
boy fights gift mom grabs frying pan hits gift
Page13
bear hits floor and goes to move when bam his hit again
Page14
boy grabs bag mom grabs the gift ties it up puts in bag
Page15
fast diving to devils creek out of car mom holds bag out and sets alight and drops it into the creek
Page16 bag vanish mom turns hugs her boy devils reappear and find the out come amusing
The end
Doing the observer brief.
The main character stereotypical high up banker late for a meeting. He will be talking on his Bluetooth earpiece to someone who is at the meeting already. The man who is late will cause the lift to break down, and keep attempting to fix the lift from the inside but clearly just break it more.
The concept is that it is a metaphor for the idea that bankers are largely responsible for the state of the economy at the moment. Also going to include a young barefoot boy in the lift also symbolizing the recent ideas of lowering child benefits.
1. Banker stood talking to someone on Bluetooth earpiece, “Tell them to hold the meeting, im literally 10 minutes away I’m coming now”.
2. Number 14 on the lift lights up ‘ding!’.
3. Banker stood in front of lift as doors open still speaking on blue tooth, “DON’T START THE MEETING WITHOUT ME!”.
4. Banker stepping into lift, “mmhmm, mmhmm”.
5. Banker stood pressing button in lift, “come onnn”.
6. Young boy runs into lift as doors are shutting.
7. Banker says to persone on Bluetooth “some little brat, im in the lift at the moment”. Kid in background playing on hand rail in the lift.
8. Banker franticly pressing groung button as he is in such a hurry, “come on bloody thing”.
9. Breaks the ground floor button.
10. Silhouetted all round view of them in the lift showing its started moving. Banker says “Paul im 10 minutes away just hold it”.
11. Banker saying “well tell them there’s nothing wrong with the bonuses”, boy in background looking at the man.
12. Banker “we deserve..”
13. Lights go out as lift breaks down, “shit”.
14. Lights still out banker says “whats going on”
15. Lights come on banker says whilst panicking “Paul get help, call 999” - ”Its gona be ok kid”.
16. Banker trying to open the door, “this IS a fucking emergency”.
17. Banker franticly trying to fix lift taking off the panel n playing with the wires, “shit shit shit come on”.
18.Still panicking trying to work out a way out, banker pulls off roof panel.
19. Banker accidently drops roof panel onto boys shoulder “sorry sorry”, boy “ah”.
20. Banker palming all the buttons trying to get it to work again, “no no no, come on!”.
21. Caretaker unscrews lift button on the ground floor to let them out.
22. Door opens to see fat banker stressed out and sweating.
23. Caretaker having a look at the lift, “what the hell has he done here”.
24. Banker running off muttering reasons why the life bloke, placing the blame on other people, “you really need a new electrician – such dodgy wiring – cheap roof pannels too mate”
