A White Helmet
FADE IN.
EXT. RENOVATION SITE, SHENZHEN - DAY
LADIES and GENTLEMEN including PETER get off from a coach.
At an entry point, a STAFF is handing out white helmets to the visiting ladies and gentleman. Peter looks very pleased.
PETER
White helmets!
FLASHBACK
EXT. MARKET, KWAI SHING ESTATE - DAY (1974)
PETER (20) leads a TEAM of people in yellow helmets, walking towards an estate market.
Seeing Peter's team approaching, hawkers hawking near the market begin to disperse.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.)
I was young and green.
When a senior officer
asked me to do hawker
control, I just shouldered
the responsibility.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
I took enforcement
action. I directed my
team to seize those
goods of hawkers who
did not go away. As
an officer, I didn't need
to wear any helmet.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
There're confrontations.
And I learned how to
control the situations.
Two years later, I was
transferred to the
Squatter Control Unit
in Yuen Long.
FLASHBACK
EXT. CASTLE PEAK ROAD - DAY (1976)
Peter (22) was driving a Ford Capri, tailing a car. Peter sees a white helmet placed near the rear screen of the car in front of his.
.
PETER (V.O.)
The driver should be
working at construction
sites at the supervisory
level.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.)
As an officer of a
demolition team in
Yuen Long, I didn't
wear any white
helmet.
Pausing.
PETER(V.O.) (Cont'd)
But I ensure the safety
of all team members.
Peter remembers something.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Years later, I became a
Land Executive in Tuen
Mun.
FLASHBACK
EXT. TUEN MUN - DAY (1980)
Beside a half-completed highway, Peter (26) is leading a TEAM of yellow-helmeted people who are digging something.
PETER (V.O.)
That was a nasty job -
the exhumation of
graves to make way
for the extension of
the Tuen Mun highway.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
As an officer, I needn't
wear any helmet. I only
commanded and didn't
do any manual work
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
(Smiling)
After joining Quora in July
this year, there was a
question asking what the
yellow-helmeted construction-
worker-like people were
doing in Hong Kong!
And then...
FLASHBACK
INT. BARBER SHOP - DAY (early Oct, 2019)
A tattooed BARBER (20s) is combing Peter's hair. It isn't smooth.
BARBER
(Confidently)
You're a construction
worker...
PETER
Yes...
END FLASHBACK
After putting on the white helmet, Peter smiles.
PETER (V.O.)
At last, I've to wear
a white helmet!
Peter wastes no time to take a selfie.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd) Should I go to that
barber again, I might
show him the photo to
confirm his observation
and I didn't fake any
answer for his sake.
Peter focuses his attention on wearing the white helmet rather than the visit.
FADE OUT.
The End
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