FADE IN.
EXT. ROAD - NIGHT
Walking along a road, PETER is attracted by some words painted on a truck body.
PETER (V.O.)
"Coolie"? How creative
it is to use an old term
as a modern label for
service delivery!
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
I wonder whether the
young in Hong Kong
these days understand
what "coolie" means.
Dr Sun Yat-sun was
a son of a coolie.
Remembering.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
When I was in my teens,
my teacher observed
that I wasn't sporty.
What she didn't know
was that I needed to
conserve my energy
to sell my labour.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Now, if I don't go
swimming on any day,
I feel very bad about
it.
INT. STUDY - DAY
Peter is watching CNN breaking news about US Senate's Impeachment trial. A GENTLEMAN (50s) is speaking on screen and we hear him saying: It's not America first. It's Donald Trump first.
PETER (V.O.)
Invariably, people in
authority put their
personal interests over
public ones.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
All people want to be
in charge and be in
control.
Remembering.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
There's a little remark
about me when I was
a kid.
INT. PREMISES IN CENTRAL - DAY (1959)
A MAN (30s), having looked at Peter (5) deeply in the presence of Peter's DAD (23), remarks.
MAN
Your son, even if he
is to work as a coolie,
he will be the head
coolie.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
My Dad wasn't a coolie
but a newspaper
photographer. In my
teens, I did all the odd
jobs. But at 19, I made
a conscious decision
to equip myself with
intellectual skills and
judgment.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
I changed my job although
I earned less... but I moved
on.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Later, I studied philosophy
by myself. Morally, I
can tell right from wrong.
I won't get lost as a
social being.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Later, I learnt law and
took rights seriously.
And I became a bearer
of professional and
administrative loads -
I am of the struggling
kind - like a coolie or
not.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Since retirement, I've
time to reflect and do
what I love.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Anyway, I'm autonomous -
in control of myself,
creating and delivering
value in my own way
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Wrapping up at this year
end, life has been good.
Even if I work like a
modern coolie, I wouldn't
forget to live like a King
too!
FADE OUT.
The End