FADE IN:
EXT. EXPRESSWAY - NIGHT
An 8-seater car cruising towards Hong Kong Airport. PETER at driver seat, DORA next to him, ECHO at the mid-section seat and large luggage at rear. Suddenly, we hear "bang"!
ECHO
Must be that the luggage
hit the rear window.
PETER
(curiously)
I haven't applied the brake
though...
EXT. TERMINAL CAR PARK AREA - NIGHT
Having parked the car, Peter offloads the luggage. Echo gives a hand. Then Dora,Echo and Peter walk towards the Departure Hall.
Later, only Peter and Dora return and they drive out of the car park. Then, we hear some rattling sounds from the rear of the car. Both Peter and Dora look alarmed.
PETER
I think we've a flat
tire.
Peter pulls the car to a side road leading to a bus terminal. Peter and Dora get out to inspect the car. The right rear tire is flat.
PETER
We've the anti-puncture
liquid.
Peter takes out a can from the car. Dora helps connect its tube to the flat tire, and begins to press the spray button. While the tire remains flat, liquid spills all over the place and on the faces.
PETER
(frustrated)
We need to change the
flat tire.
They see the spare tire is being hanged on the rear underside of the car. They begin to read an owner's manual with the help of a cell phone torch and compare the drawings with the real parts. Finding a brand new repair kit, they try hard to loosen a bolt to get the spare tire.
DORA
We've done a couple of
rounds. Are we fooling
ourselves that we're doing
something. It's time we
called a tow car!
Dora calls and passes the phone to Peter. He talks to the phone for awhile. He scratches his head with his dirty hands.
PETER
$1200 - just to change the
tire for us! Let's call
"Pear" - the one I had his
service years ago. He was
good.
Dora keys the phone and passes it Peter.
PETER
"Pear"? We've a flat tire.
We're near the Airport...
PEAR
(from the phone)
Even you pay me $1000 to
tow your car, you've to
wait for an hour for me
to come. Let me teach you
how to change the tire...
Having taken out the spare tire, Peter loosens the nuts of the wheel, jacks up the car, changes the tires and then remove the tools. We see the replaced spare tire is just a bit fuller than the flat one.
PETER
I know there's a service
station nearby. Let's go there
to inflate the pressure of the
spare tire. I'm glad that it
still has some pressure since
coming out from the production
line in 2000.
Relieved, they get back to the car and slowly drive off.
EXT. PETROL-FILLING STATION - NIGHT
Slowing arriving at the service station, Peter and Dora get out of the car. While Dora heads to the toilet, Peter gets to the pump. As we hear intermittent hissing sounds of air pressure getting inside the replaced spare tire, Peter looks as if he is having a treat.
EXT. ESTATE CAR PARK - NIGHT
Having parked the car inside a parking slot, Peter gets out of the car. He surveys the replaced spare tire.
PETER
It's so very dirty.
DORA
It's not been touched at
the underside for 18 years.
PETER
(smiling)
In the end, it still can
get us out of trouble!
Peter gets closer the replaced spare tire, passionately pats on its wall before parting it with Dora.
FADE OUT.
THE END