Plot
I think that in order to turn this short story into a movie, I would leave the plot similar to what it is now. The few things I might change are additional scene where Edie is with her family, and the family she works for. This would add more of a sense as to Edie's personality, upbringing, and place as a servant. Additionally, I think that added scenes with Chris, to show her developing adoration of him. This would help to explain her reaction as a naive young girl to Chris' behavior. Finally, I think that towards the end, a scene that would play quickly through Edie and her husband's meeting and dating would be needed. This would proportionate it's importance to that of the story of her knowing Chris. These changes would give the story a more cinematic effect.
Point of View
I feel that the movie would start out with Edie talking, introducing the audience to the situation, and acknowledging the story to be of her younger self. Occasional comments by this narrator would be made, but rarely. Then, at the finish of the movie, a scene that quickly went through Edie actually meeting her husband would play, and she would talk over these silent scenes, explaining and narrating the past. This would pull the audience in and help for more relation to the story. The narration would also help to clarify different points in the story. This narration would be similar to that of the movie "A Christmas Story," in that it covers the narrator's past, and the narrator is not omniscient.
Characterization
I would leave the characterization for the most part as it is in the short story. These characters are well developed and mesh well into the plot. I think I would make Edie's naivety more apparent to the audience. This would help later when Edie acknowledges having been "intimate" with Chris. Aside from this, I suppose Loretta Bird could be more nosy. This could add more humor to the story, along with Edie's awkward naive behavior. I believe these minimal changes are all that would be necessary in order to make this story work as a movie.
Setting
I would not change the setting at all. It is essential to the story, and thus would best be left as is. I think that in showing Edie's life at home more, the setting of her home may need to be added. However, all other previously existing settings would be left as they are. This way, the plot would follow its course of action. I love the way this story was written, so I don't feel like much setting/ plot wise would necessarily need to be changed, aside from those few plot additions previously mentioned. Too much addition would bog down the story and its purpose.
Theme
I think the theme of this movie would be where little things in life can lead you. In this case, the situation of meeting Chris indirectly led Edie to her husband. This is a twist in plot, so I don't know that it can technically be considered a theme. The essential point of the story was to show how when one door closes another opens. Through the changes I have added, I feel like these points would be clearer. This story would be a romantic comedy with a twist, so the theme would be relevant and flow quite nicely with the rest of the story.
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