Dear Prudence

1. FADE IN

2. 
   

3. Act 1

4. 
   

5. INT. STUDY - 09:15

6. 
   

7. Reading answer requests on Quora, PETER inserts images and types his replies.

8. 
   

9. PETER (V.O.): Many Quorans pose questions to me because they don't know what's prudent to do in circumstances.

10. 
    

11. Pausing.

12. 
    

13. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I feel like doing online mentorship or counselling. In helping others, I also learn something in the process.

15. Pausing.

16. 
    

17. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Today's Monday. I've found out the difference between sadness and melancholy,

18. 
    

19. Pausing.

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Unlike stressful sadness, melancholy is one's considered appropriate response to the human condition such as vulnerability.

22. 
    

23. Later, Peter grabs his swim gear and car keys before leaving.

24. 
    

25. Act 2

26. 
    

27. EXT. TUEN MUN HIGHWAY - 12:15

28. 
    

29. Cloudy. Driving, Peter looks through the car's windshield.

30. 
    

31. PETER (V.O.): I've waited for a fortnight to come out to play, expecting sunshine.

32. 
    

33. No sunshine in sight.

34. 
    

35. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): At least there's no thunderstorm.

36. 
    

37. INT. GOLDEN BEACH - 13:00

38. 
    

39. Arriving, Peter sees a LIFEGUARD on a raft, stationing at one edge of the swimming boundary.

40. 
    

41. PETER (V.O.): I like to see him there, bringing his own sunshine.

42. 
    

43. Having blown his cyber-green safety buoy and connected it to his waist, Peter begins to swim in the rough water.

44. 
    

45. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I know how difficult it is to find something under water. Prudence is precaution.

46. 
    

47. Swimming against the waves coming parallel to the shore, Peter has eye contacts with the Lifeguard on the raft.

48. 
    

49. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Prudence is protection. I feel safe.

50. 
    

51. Reaching the outer limit of the swimming boundary, Peter swims along the orange buoy line parallel to the shore.

52. 
    

53. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Apart from the nearby lifeguard on a raft, I believe other lifeguards at the beach towers can also see me braving the waves in a distance.

54. 
    

55. Peter reaches at the other end.

56. 
    

57. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Even in the rough water, I feel there's a sanctuary of prudence.

58. 
    

59. Peter then swims towards the shore. Getting back to the beach later, Peter sees a BEACHGOER in a shade staring at him.

61. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): He must be curious about who is this "cyber-green buoy guy" swimming non-stop in the rough water for 45 minutes.

62. 
    

63. Picking up his bag and deflating the safety buoy, Peter walks towards the gent's washing room.

64. 
    

65. INT. LAKESIDE RESTAURANT - 14:30

66. 
    

67. Peter is enjoying Fish & Chips and Ice Chocolate.

68. 
    

69. PETER (V.O.): Living my life, I'm also celebrating it in my simple way.

70. 
    

71. INT/EXT. PETER'S NT HOME - 16:00

72. 
    

73. Study. Having read casually several journals published in the late 2000s, Peter dumps them into a garbage bag.

74. 
    

75. PETER (V.O.): I didn't have the time to read them then. I thought it prudent to keep the stuff.

76. 
    

77. Later, Peter goes up to the penthouse studio. Switching on a bass amplifier and tuning up a black electric bass guitar, Peter plays the guitar and we hear amplified bass sounds.

79. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Yesterday, I learned from a YouTube tutorial about some theoretic skills in writing good melodies. And I composed 4 bars of harmonic bass riffs.

80. 
    

81. Going out to the terrace with his electric bass guitar, Peter continues to play.

82. 
    

83. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's so refreshing playing in the open.

84. 
    

85. Recalling.

86. 
    

87. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I admired Beatles' famous unannounced rooftop concert.

89. Peter looks around the environment.

90. 
    

91. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I can do my mini one here. For prudence's sake, I'll keep the amplifiers inside the penthouse so that I won't cause any public nuisance.

92. 
    

93. EXT. TOLO HIGHWAY - 18:30

94. 
    

95. Driving, Peter listens to the finance radio.

96. 
    

97. PETER (V.O.): Oh, I've lost lots of money in the stock market today. I wasn't that prudent when I stepped into the ring.

98. 
    

99. Act 3

100. 
     

101. INT. STUDY - 20:00

102. 
     

103. Peter is watching a video clip on his smart phone. We hear psychedelic guitar picking sounds and John Lennon singing: Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play... greet the brand new day...

104. 
     

105. PETER (V.O.): To celebrate the beauty of nature is good.

106. 
     

107. Thinking.

108. 
     

109. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Prudence is the necessary ingredient in all the virtues. We discern what is proper to do under various circumstances in time and place.

110. 
     

111. Pausing.

112. 
     

113. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The footprint of wisdom is actually dear prudence.

114. 
     

115. Peter begins to work on his laptop.

116. 
     

117. THE END

118. 
     

119. FADE OUT