A Life Not Wasted
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Nov 9, 2025
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. LIVING ROOM/BEDROOM - 01:47
Bright. Cluttered with papers. PETER finishes a reply and hits "SEND".
PETER (V.O.): Only after I had published my daily screenplay did I notice that my instructing solicitor had sent me an urgent message at 11:35pm.
Leaning back to his chair, exhaustion creeps in.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I prefer to get the job done quickly, as I might have trouble falling asleep otherwise.
At 07:15, Peter is awake and a thought strikes him. He sits up in bed.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I need to modify my reply a little.
Peter grabs his smartphone, notices something and shakes his head with a mix of admiration and frustration on his face.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My instructing solicitor has already thanked me for my reply at 03:14. I know he can't wait.
Peter quickly types out the addition, his fingers flying over the screen. He hits "SEND" again.
Act 2
EXT. SILVERSTRAND BAY - 16:45
A red flag flutters in the breeze. A few BEACHGOERS dot the sandy shore. Peter is swimming at the far edge of the swimming area.
PETER (V.O.): A life not wasted is one that chose the stinging salt of the sea over the safety of the shore.
Changing room. After savouring a warm bath, Peter glances at the HKeMeter app on his phone.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Just two minutes left? I can make it!
Staircases leading away. Peter ascends, his breaths comng in quick gasps as he reaches the top.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A life not wasted isn't measured by the number of breaths I take, but by the number of moments that leave me breathless with purpose.
INT. LIVING ROOM - 17:45
The warm glow of the setting sun streams through the window, casting a cozy light. Peter sits on the sofa, casually strolling through Facebook feeds on his Redmi Pad 2.
PETER (V.O.): The 5 causes of death of senior citizens?
Peter taps on the video and listens intently.
NARRATOR (V.O.): ...aging itself isn't a primary cause of death...
After about 30 minutes, the narrator wraps up the discussion.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): So the 5 causes are: Heart Disease, Falls, Lung Failure, Strokes, and Cognitive Decline.
Peter holds up a hand, ticking them off on his fingers.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): One. The heart. My lovely auntie recently died because of that.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I believe my chances of having a heart attack are less than 15%.
Peter makes a mental check.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Two. The fall. My Mom had a fall, and after that, she lost her independence.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In 2009, I had a fall while challenging my figure skating techniques and broke my ankle. Since then, I've maintained constant vigilance to prevent another injury.
Peter makes another mental check.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Three. Lungs. A good friend of mine, Shui Chung, died of lung cancer in 2002.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've been coughing sporadically for the past fortnight, so I just bought some over-the-counter medicine.
Again, Peter makes a mental check.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Four. Strokes. My good friend Alfred suffered one, leaving him partially paralyzed.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): How do I stop a stroke? It isn't a banana peel on the stairs. A question mark.
Wondering.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And five...cognitive decline - the great forgetting. It's an issue my Mom is facing as well.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That one shouldn't get me. I don't just remember things. I create them!
Peter stands up and walks to the window.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And one can't live fearing the lightning strike.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But my matriculation classmates, King Chau and Shui Fun, tragically lost their lives at Lantau Peak back in 1974.
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM - 22:30
Peter uploads an image depicting a lit up cave river within the Seven Star Crags, Zhaoqing to a draft on his laptop.
PETER (V.O.): I swim for my heart. I travel for my soul, and I create so my soul has a reason to stay.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A life not wasted isn't a checklist of prevention; it's a shelf of overflowing stories.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We're all temporary curators of kindness, knowledge and beauty. A life not wasted is one that passes these on, enriched.
FADE OUT
END
Comments