A Cup of Recollections
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Aug 16, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 17, 2024
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. LIVING ROOM - 13:00
Unpacking a box, PETER checks a colourful spittoon/potty-like cup.
FLASHBACK
EXT. PAIFANG STREET, CHAOZHOU - 20:30 (4 Aug 2024)
Strolling with a PARTY, a row of spittoon/potty-like cups gets Peter's attention.
PETER (V.O): They look like my mother's spittoon/potty in the old days.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I must buy one for her. It might jog her memory.
RETURN TO PRESENT
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I'm going to present it to her when we meet for afternoon tea today.
Act 2
EXT. ROADS TO NT - 13:45
Peter is driving his WIFE and their younger DAUGHTER.
PETER: My sister has visited our mother this morning already, and my youngest brother is moving house.
His wife checks a chatgroup message on her mobile.
WIFE: Your other two brothers can join us.
PETER: Good, ask them to take our wheelchair-bounded mother to the restaurant first, as it will close around 4pm.
WIFE: Yes.
INT. RESTAURANT, HUNG SHUI KIU - 14:30
Gathering around a table with his wife, his daughter, BROTHER#1 and BROTHER#2, Peter presents the spittoon/potty cup to the MOTHER.
PETER: Mother, can you recollect anything?
We see his mother tracing the contour of the cup, her eyes narrowing in concentration.
PETER (V.O): Oh dear, she can't unlock her memories.
PETER (Cont'd): Anyhow, let me take a photo of you with the cup and share the recollection in the family chatgroup.
Peter does what he says right away.
PETER (Cont'd) (to Brother#1): Do you think I can leave the cup with her in the elderly home?
BROTHER#1: If you treat the cup as trash...
BROTHER#2: I'm exploring the possibility to move our mother to a better elderly home...
BROTHER#1: But that will be away from here. Here, many people knew our mother...
Pausing.
BROTHER#1 (Cont'd): Someone told me that she remembered our mother very well as she used to dress pretty nicely when shopping in the market.
BROTHER#2: If the new place turns out to be not as good as here, we can move her back...
PETER: Okay, explore the options and we'll discuss.
BROTHER#2: By the way, do you worry that you may have our mother's conditions?
BROTHER#1: It's a fact of life.
Peter's nodding.
BROTHER#1: The important thing is to die with no regrets.
PETER: Can our mother recall the money in her bank accounts?
BROTHER#1: No idea. On money matters, she's still alert and won't talk about them.
PETER (V.O): I always think that our mother loves money more than us.
BROTHER#1: But she never uses her money.
PETER: But the little money she saved when we're young made our lives very difficult.
BROTHER#1 (to Peter's daughter): You intend to live in Japan for good, right? It's a good way to help your parents spend their money!
EXT. ELDERLY HOME, HUNG SHUI KIU - 16:00
Peter watches his younger daughter pushing her wheelchaired-bound grandma.
PETER (V.O.): When she was very young, my mother always talked about her.
Capturing a photo.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Although my mother can't remember that now, I still think we should spend time together while we can.
Act 3
INT. LIVING ROOM - 21:30
Peter inserts an AI drawing entitled "A Cup of Recollections..." to a draft on a laptop.
PETER (V.O): When caring for an elderly parent, complexities and tensions can arise.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Even when my mother's memory fades, there's still value in spending time together and the family bond continues.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): My siblings and I appreciate my parents' life contributions. If they didn't play the fundamental role of parenthood, we've no life.
FADE OUT
THE END
댓글