FADE IN.
Act 1
INT. STUDY - 10:00-13:30
Checking something with his devices, PETER looks busy.
PETER (V.O.): Today is April 12. I'm going to see my client at 14:30. I've only a few hours left to finalize my stuff.
Reading.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Since last Friday, I've been drafting skeleton arguments for my client's appeal.
Working.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): What strikes me is that there's always room for improvement.
Printing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): I can think of new supportable arguments to advance my client's interest.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's my first appeal case to be conducted in Chinese.
Act 2
INT. OFFICE - 14:30-16:30
Peter is inside a room. A STAFF talks to him.
STAFF: Mr Cheung, your client hasn't turned up yet.
Peter nods.
PETER (V.O.): I charge by the minute; and time is ticking.
Peter checks his papers.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): There're still two-three small items that can be refined.
Having highlighted them, Peter looks around and sees the stuff supporting a monitor.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A function of International Law that I've never imagined.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Having done my LLB 1984 and PCLL 1985, I chose to study International Law.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In my 1st LLM 1986, I specialised in International Protection of Human Rights.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I was then working in the Attorney General's Chambers. Later, I contributed some thoughts about the design of Hong Kong's Bill of Rights Bill.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But my private practice in the field only began in 2018.
Peter's CLIENT and an INTERPRETER join him. After transacting their business for awhile, Peter's phone rings.
SOMEONE (From phone): ...Mr Cheung, can you take up an urgent human rights case?
PETER (To phone): No problem.
INT. MALL - 17:30
Before a store, Peter buys some fried potato chips.
PETER (V.O.): I didn't have a proper lunch today.
INT. STUDY- 18:00 - 19:30
Enjoying his potato chips, Peter watches TV news. We hear: On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the 1st person to blast into space...
PETER (V.O): The primacy effect dictates that people tend to recall the first of something.
From the TV, we hear: On his decent, Gagarin parachuted out of the tiny capsule he was in and landed in a potato field...
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): There's nothing much in Space. Potato fields are everywhere on Earth.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Gagarin could have become the first human garbage in Space.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In my 2nd LLM 1987, I focused on Air & Space Law. But I've never practised in the field.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): What's the point for me to continue keeping all the lecture notes!
Peter finishes off the fried potatoes.
Act 3
INT. SWIMMING POOL 19:45 - 21.15
Peter swims leisurely.
PETER (V.O.): It's only today that I've learnt about the significance of April 12 in human history.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Today in 1971, I was preparing for my Secondary School Certificate exams. Today in 1981, I was preparing my BA in Philosophy exams.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Today in 1991, I was working hard to reform Hong Kong's copyright law. Today in 2001, what was I doing? I was already Hong Kong China's Deputy Director of Intellectual Property.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Toady in 2011, I finally became the Director of Intellectual Property - the first lawyer to assume the position.
INT. STUDY - 23:00
Peter is watching the George Floyd: Derek Chauvin trial on TV.
PETER (V.O.): To watch live a US prosecution case on TV is interesting. l prosecute a lot these days.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd) : But for the rest of my April days in 2021, I'll put human rights first.
FADE OUT.
THE END
Comments