FADE IN:
INT. SLEEPING ROOM - DAY
Waking up, PETER grabs his phone and checks a few texts.
PETER (V.O.)
A chamber-mate echoes
a satire of persons in
authority and without good track records; and
so - "you can do it"?
PETER (V,O.) (Cont'd)
No, you can't.
FLASHBACK
INT. IMMIGRATION CENTRE - DAY
A secured environment. Peter, a GIRL (20s) and an INTERPRETER (40s) deposit their mobiles in secured boxes and wait for security clearance.
PETER
(To the girl)
Do you have many clients
here?
GIRL
(Upset)
No, we're downsizing.
Half of our staff has been
laid off.
PETER
That's not good.
Peter turns to the Interpreter.
PETER
Do you come here often?
INTERPRETER
I don't like coming here at
all as losing my mobile
connectivity could mean
losing an opportunity of a
translation assignment that
might be worth HK$100,000-
HK$300,000.
PETER
Why? Can't they wait?
INTERPRETER
No one is indispensable.
They just give the job to
somebody else.
PETER (V.O.)
Yes, the same for fiat work.
I declined a two-day brief
as it clashes with this
pre-arranged legal visit.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd)
One can do something if
one is in the right place,
and at the right time.
FLASHBACK
INT. RESTAURANT - DAY
Peter chats with a COUNSEL (65) happily.
PETER
...I wasn't in AGC from 1986-
1987 as I was studying in UK.
COUNSEL
I was doing well in AGC
then. But having heard
I'd still have to wait for
several years to get a
promotion. I resigned
right away, following
those who left before
me.
PETER (V.O.)
That's why those stayed
put got accelerated
promotions in 1988.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd)
If I was asked to state
just one good track
record, what would it be?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd)
It must be my accomplishment
of the mission that Hong
Kong wouldn't have an IP
legal laguna came 1 July,
1997.
Pausing.
PETER(V.O.)(Cont'd)
Would the general public
appreciate that?
FLASHBACK
EXT. BEACH - DAY
Strolling, Peter sees an authority's notice board.
PETER (V.O.)
Yes, I added value in the
Authority's Chinese name.
The initial translation was
just "康樂文化..." and the
conjunction "AND" was
skipped. I thought culture
wasn't just leisurely oriented,
so I inserted "及" to it.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Why I could do that? I was
a Deputy Secretary for
Constitutional Affairs from
1998-1999, and it was a matter
in one of my projects.
Peter smiles.
PETER(V.O.) (Cont'd)
It's true that anyone could
deal with the small matter,
but I happened to work
there at the material time.
Was it brought about by
chance or by my own actions?
Pausing.
PETER(V.O.) (Cont'd)
I'd say that if it was by chance,
the name could have been in
its initial form if I didn't take
any action.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd)
The dilemma is: even if one is
prepared to do something,
it doesn't necessarily mean
that the opportunity would
go to him/her. Thus, you
can do it and you can't!
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Now as a retiree who can
afford to save time for
exercises, creativity, travel,
or even sleeping, I won't
mind skipping the word
"及" between "leisure" and
and "culture" at all!
Peter goes back to sleep.
FADE OUT.
THE END