We're Also No.1

FADE IN:

INT. LIBRARY - DAY

A wet-hair PETER reads a newspaper.

PETER (V.O.)

Hong Kong ranks no.1 as the

least-affordable housing

market for a 9th straight year?

Pausing.

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

The median property price

climbed to 20.9 times median

household income in 2018...

Pausing.

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

The odds Hong Kong will lose

its title in 2019 as the world's

most expensive city look slim?

FLASHBACK & MONTAGE OF PETER'S HOUSING CONDITIONS

A/ In a windowless cubicle, Peter (6) sleeps with his PARENTS, YOUNGER BROTHERS (3 &1) in one bed.

B/Peter (14) sleeps alone in part of a wooden hut, while chickens occupying the other part make low and long clucky sounds.

C/ Peter (17) sleeps in a hotel tea-house sofa and his feet are supported by a makeshift chair.

D/ Getting out from an old village house in a morning, Peter (19) rushes to a nearby public toilet.

E/ In a village, Peter (21) and his younger brother (18) build a two-bedroom structure with brick and mortar.

F/ Peter (25) and his WIFE (23) dwell in a small but cosy room.

G/ Looking at a mortgage repayment schedule with INTEREST RATE at 17%, Peter (29) is expressionless.

RETURN TO PRESENT

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

That was in 1984, a year

after my late wife and I

bought our NT home...

We got hold of HK$50,000

- for the 10% property

price and the conveyancing

fees.

Pausing.

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

As travelling to urban

area was time-consuming,

we bought our Hong

Kong home in 1985. I was

then so worried about our

repayment capability that

I thought of cancelling the

Agreement for Sale and

Purchase...

Pausing.

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

The MTR Taikoo Station

wasn't open yet... But now,

our son has a convenient

roof over his head.

Pausing.

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

Later, I cooked up the idea

to have a Kowloon home...

And I've been living in the

area since then...

INT. MALL - DAY

Peter walks past property agents and sees many adverts.

PETER (V.O.)

The market is adjusting,

but prices are still high...

Peter recalls something.

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

From 1983 till the turn of the

century, I was burdened with

mortgage repayments...

Quality of life was bad. I

hated that!

A PASSER-BY's T-shirt slogan catches Peter's eyes. We see: "KNOW HOPE".

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

I wouldn't hope to have

bigger and nicer ones now.

I travel regularly to experience

worldly differences.

INT. STUDY - DAY

Peter checks phone messages.

PETER (V.O.)

Bargain air tickets again?

Peter checks his diary and books.

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

Let me see where should

I stay this time?

Peter serves the web.

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

Yes, to see sunset by the

sea and enjoy out-door

natural onsen - the onsen

is for sure.

Pausing.

The old Jap who lived to

113 liked to do that...And

no Hong Kong home can

have that.

Peter taps the phone and then sees confirmations. He then reads a tweet.

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

This tweet is naive: "Why

on earth people choose to

live in Hong Kong is beyond

me?"

Pausing.

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

Hong Kong is our home. We

adapt to survive. While Hong

Kong homes are the least

affordable in the world, we're

also no. 1 in striving to have

roofs over our heads!

FADE OUT. The End