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By The Poolside

Peter Kam Fai Cheung SBS

FADE IN:

INT. SWIMMING POOL - DAY

PETER in swimming brief with a pair of goggles in hand emerges from the changing room.

A lifeguard by the poolside waves at him. Peter puts on his goggles for awhile, waves back and walks towards him.

PETER

I'm very short-sighted. So you're

working here.

LIFEGUARD

Yes, I've been here for over a year

now.

PETER

I was so happy to catch a glimpse of

you here from a distance last time.

LIFEGUARD

I worked in your estate's swimming

pool from 2003 for nearly ten years.

I then did other jobs for a few years.

PETER (V.O.)

My younger daughter then was

three-year old, my son five and

my elder daughter seven.

LIFEGUARD

You've two daughters and one

son. Right?

PETER (V.O.)

(Ashamed)

Oh My God, he knows my swimming

family well!

FLASHBACK

EXT - CLUB HOUSE SWIMMING POOL - NIGHT 2003

Some spot lights by the poolside and inside the pool.

Peter (49) herds ELDER DAUGHTER (7), SON (5) and YOUNGER DAUGHTER (3) by the poolside. All are in swimming gear and the children cannot wait to go into the pool.

Water splashes. Happy sounds. The children chase one another in the water, sometimes in different directions.

Peter is busy, trying to track their whereabouts. We hear Peter shouting "Crystal", "Zeno" and "Echo" from time to time.

A LIFEGUARD pays particular attention to the swimming family.

EXT. CLUB HOUSE SWIMMING POOL - DAY 2008

Peter is swimming breaststrokes and backstrokes. We hear somebody shouting from the pool: "Is my way of swimming backstrokes okay?"

We see and hear the response of a lifeguard by the poolside: "You didn't have any shoulder mobility at all!"

PETER (V.O.)

Me too...

Peter tries to move his shoulder joints when swimming backstrokes.

EXT. CLUB HOUSE SWIMMING POOL - NIGHT 2011

Peter rests by the poolside. The lifeguard approaches to talk to Peter.

LIFEGUARD

I haven't seen your children

coming here for a long time.

PETER

(Looking frustrated)

Yes, they've grown up and don't

like to swim with me anymore!

INT. SWIMMING POOL - DAY - 2018

As he leaves the premises, PETER has eye contact with a lifeguard from a distance. They exchange greetings with body language.

RETURN TO PRESENT

PETER

Yes. My elder daughter has

graduated from university.

You've children?

LIFEGUARD

Two sons. Ages 9 and 5. They

argue with each other all the

time. Yours are disciplined.

PETER

I haven't had any swimming

instructor. I learn swimming

by watching videos.

LIFEGUARD

You swim pretty well though.

PETER

You may not know that I got

a swimming tip from you -

about the importance of

shoulder mobility when

swimming backstrokes.

LIFEGUARD

Yes, that's important.

PETER

(From heart)

You're a very warm person.

By the way, I'm Old Cheung

and you're...?

LIFEGUARD

Just call me Ah Keung.

PETER

Thank you Ah Keung!

As Peter gets into the pool, Ah Keung continues his patrol by the poolside.

FADE OUT. The End

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