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The Day Is Done

Peter Kam Fai Cheung SBS

FADE IN:

INT. MELBOURNE DOMESTIC AIRPORT - DAY

Having got his printed boarding pass and baggage tag, PETER looks perplexed.

PETER

I thought I should board

before 10am. Now, its

some time after 10am.

Peter checks his seat.

PETER (V.O.)

The airline has changed

my seat too...And the

flight no. isn't the same.

The Sydney destination

is alright. How could I

check in the wrong flight?

I meant to meet up my

elder son at Sydney's

International Airport at

noon!

Seeing a fight information display system, Peter examines the details.

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

I see. My original flight

was cancelled. I've been

put in the next flight.

Peter uses his smart phone to check a flight status.

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

My son's flight from Hong

Kong has been delayed

for over an hour? That's

usual, but is meaningful

to us!

INT. SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - DAY

Arrival hall. PLATO and Peter meet.

PLATO

Let's take Uber to our

hotel.

Peter nods.

EXT. ROAD - AIRPORT TO ZETLAND - DAY

Raining. Plato and Peter are at the rear passenger seats. Boring suburb scenes.

PETER

I'm glad that you made

an effort to fly in.

FLASHBACK

INT. SKI RESORT, SEOUL - NIGHT (2014)

Father and two sons chat and dine happily inside a room.

END FLASHBACK

INT. A SYDNEY LODGE - DAY

Cosy lobby. ZENO meets Plato and Peter.

PETER Where should we go?

ZENO

Let's go to the city for

lunch.

Peter and Plato nod.

PETER

And then to see the

Sydney Harbour, as

there's a little sunshine

now.

Plato and Zeno begin to chat as they walk out the lodge.

PETER (V.O.)

I'm decades older than

them.

INT. TICKET OFFICE, SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE - DAY

A short queue before Peter, Plato and Zeno.

PETER

Let's try our luck and see

if we can enjoy the artistic

experience inside.

Both Plato and Zeno nod. When it's their turn, they approach the COUNTER STAFF (20s).

PETER (Cont'd)

Are tickets available for

tonight's shows?

COUNTER STAFF

(Nodding)

Yes! Beethoven Symphony

No. 5 or Madama Butterfly.

Peter's eyes are wide open.

PETER

Oh, Madama Butterfly!

Peter looks at Plato and Zeno.

PETER (V.O.)

I believe they prefer Beethoven,

as they play the piano. .

PLATO

Madama Butterfly is an opera.

There' re casts acting. And

we enjoy more.

As Zeno gestures easy, Peter proceeds as suggested.

PETER

Three tickets for Madama

Butterfly...

Getting the tickets, Peter looks particularly high.

PETER (Cont'd)

The melodic part of the

opera sounds like this...

Peter begins to hum but it seems new to Zeno.

INT. JOAN SUTHERLAND THEATRE - NIGHT

7:30 pm - orchestra music and arousing opening scene - over a dozen Japanese women are in rope bondage on a big stage riser.

PETER (V.O.)

Wow, surprise!

We hear soprano and tenor in Italian lyrics. Subtitles in simplified Chinese characters and English are shown on overhanging visual display. As Act 1 ends, an Intermission follows.

PLATO

When was the last time

you watched a classical performance?

PETER

Before you're born.

FLASHBACK

INT. CONCERT HALL, HONG KONG - NIGHT (1985-1989)

SHARON (early 30s) and Peter (early 30s) enjoy classical performances.

END FLASHBACK

Act II begins and ends with Un Bei Di (One Fine Day).

PETER (V.O.)

That's it!

A big round of applause.

FLASHBACK

INT. GLOVER GARDEN, NAGASAKI - NIGHT (2018)

At the hills of Minami-Yamate is "Madam Butterfly House", which overlooks the Nagasaki Port. Peter tours around the elegantly-lit colonial homes. He sees pictures and leaflets about Madam Butterfly.

PETER (V.O.)

It's a cover version of a

Japanese song about

Madam Butterfly that

brings me here.

Pausing.

PETER (V.O) (Cont'd)

I've traced the original

version and watched related

music videos many times.

I can even sing a bit of the song in Japanese...

END FLASHBACK

Act III resumes with the soprano and tenor.

PETER (V.O.)

The singing must be good.

But I can't recall any melody

except "One Fine Day".

Pausing.

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

The tragedy is about a foreigner's abuse of his

dominant position and

the sacrifice of the

subservient local. The plot simply reflects the

practice of the day.

Act III ends. Peter checks the time: 10.10pm.

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

Through self-induced

coincidences, my pursuit

about Madam Bufferfly

is now complete - at the

Sydney Opera House!

EXT. BUS - NIGHT

Father and sons chat about the Madama Bufferfly.

PLATO

The drama is a tragedy.

PETER

The dramatist tries to

evoke feelings of pity. Romeo and Juliet is

another tragedy.

Plato reflects as Peter takes a look at Zeno.

PETER (V.O.)

When Zeno performed the

Romeo and Juliet ballet

as a young dancer, he told

me that he was happy to

hear at backstage that

Romeo and Juliet were

dead. That meant he'd

soon be back on stage

to thank the spectators

and the day is done!

We see dimly-lit roads.

PETER

Zeno, you know where to

get off?

Zeno nods.

PETER (V.O.)

Great that our first day of

togetherness in Sydney

is better than expected!

FADE OUT. The End

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©2017 BY PETER KAM FAI CHEUNG. PROUDLY CREATED WITH WIX.COM

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