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Driving Is Easy

Peter Kam Fai Cheung SBS

FADE IN:

EXT. CAR PARK - DAY

A GENTLEMAN (50)s parks a Volvo T6 in front of a mansion. PETER sits at the front passenger seat.

PETER

How many cars are parked

here?

GENTLEMAN

Four. You see the smaller Volvo

and a Honda. My father's old

Volvo in Penang is now at KL

too.

PETER

Good. I like cars to be near me

too!

Getting out of the T6, Peter goes to inspect the old Volvo.

FLASHBACK (2003)

EXT. ROAD - DAY

An OLD MAN (71) is at the driver seat of the old Volvo. Old man's wife (70) is at the front passenger seat. Peter and Peter's WIFE, son Plato (14), daughter Crystal (7), son Zeno (5) and daughter Echo (3) pack the back row.

The old Volvo carrying the joyful party maneuvers the roads of Penang.

PETER

The car is as strong as a tank!

END FLASHBACK

PETER (V.O.)

It was fun. My whole family

used to visit Penang or KL

fairly regularly.

Peter rejoins the gentleman.

PETER

The car still looks good after

so many years.

GENTLEMAN

My father still drives it. He's

used to it.

INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY

Peter and his wife chat with the old man.

PETER

It's good that you've your

old Volvo here. It looks good.

The old man remembers something.

OLD MAN

Months ago, I was driving my

grandson home. Then there's

abrupt failure of the braking

system.

Peter and his wife look shocked.

PETER

How did you handle the

incident?

OLD MAN

I didn't go panic... I switched

on the hazard light, lowered

the gear, used the hand brake

to get to the slow lane. The

other cars avoided mine.

Peter and his wife are surprised.

OLD MAN (Cont'd)

Self-help is better than calling

for rescue as it may not come

timely.

Pausing.

OLD MAN (Cont'd)

Our car repairer thought I

had done a great job!

PETER

Of course!

Peter's wife nods as well.

FLASHBACK AND MONTAGE OF PETER'S FORTUNATE CAR INCIDENTS

A/ EXT. ROAD - DAY (1977)

Peter (23) drives a silver blue Ford Capri in the Yuen Long District. As he changes gear, he finds that he has lifted up the stick shaft from the gear box. He inserts it back into position and continues to drive on.

B/ EXT. ROAD - DAY (1978)

Peter (24) drives his Ford Capri along the Sheung Sha Wan Road. The car suddenly stalls in the fast lane. Peter quickly opens the front bonnet, adjusts the car battery terminals with bare hands, restarts the engine and hits the road again.

C/EXT. ROAD - NIGHT (2018)

Peter (64) drives a Toyota Previa along the North Lantau expressway leading to the Airport. His wife sits in front, Echo in the middle row, and the rear is full of baggage. Suddenly, there is a bang sound.

We hear: "Baggage hit the rear door?" Peter drives on, parks the car, unloads the baggage and sees Echo entering the departure hall. When he leaves the car park, he realizes a tire has gone flat!

END FLASHBACK AND MONTAGE.

EXT. CAR - DAY

The gentleman drives Peter and his wife. The car phone rings.

CALLER (O.S.) ... My father-in-law insists on driving

Peter and his wife to Mid Valley this

afternoon...

PETER

...Got the message...

PETER'S WIFE

...Would he be driving the old

Volvo?

CALLER (O.S.)

The Honda would be easier for

him...

EXT. CAR PARK - DAY

With the help of a MAID (30s) to get inside the driver seat of the Honda with a disabled sticker on the windscreen, the old man drives Peter and Peter's wife somewhere.

PETER (V.O.)

He had got his driving licence

before I was born...Driving is

easy...

EXT. ROAD - DAY

A phone notification alerts Peter. He sees a WhatsApp image, indicating Part B: (Passed) and Part C: (Passed).

PETER (V.0.)

Oh! Zeno has passed his driving

exam in his first attempt! Great!

Pausing.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

In 1975, I wanted very much to

pass in my first attempt and

was depressed when I failed.

I regretted that as I should

have taken it easy.

Peter looks lightened up.

FADE OUT. The End

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