The doorbell rang at a home in a North Shore suburb. The woman of the house went to the door, and there, on her doorstep, was Robert Redford.
It was the late seventies, and Redford, making his directorial debut, was out scouting locations for Ordinary People. Her house was perfect; would she let him use it in his film? Without hesitation, she said no.
After he left, she realized that she hadn’t even invited him to step inside.
Later, she learned that he was filming nearby. She went to the site, got Redford’s attention, and said, “Mr Redford, I’m sorry I didn’t offer you anything that day. Would you care to come over for tea and cookies?” Redford accepted, and came over for tea.
The story is still savored with a quiet pride.
