Do The Best
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Jun 4, 2020
- 3 min read
FADE IN.
Act 1
INT. OFFICE - DAY
PETER is interviewing a MAN in the presence of a GENTLEMAN.
Peter is reading something.
PETER (V.O.): He has over dozens of previous convictions. How am I going to mitigate on his behalf?
The man speaks to Peter passionately.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): He thinks he isn't always bad. A recent example is that when someone threatened to beat up the old and the young for their political differences, he offered himself to be beaten instead.
Nodding.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): This should be a good mitigating factor.
Act 2
INT. COURT - DAY
Standing, Peter submits before the bench.
PETER (V.O.): Oh, the Court sets the anchor at a high level and queries if such act is good at all?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): I can understand that as the offer as an substitute victim condones the criminals' violence.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Coint'd): I've tried to do the best I can in the circumstances.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
PETER (V.O.) : It's a hectic day, but quite an interesting one.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): I've heard in court that a young man who pleaded not guilty to charges of possession of offensive weapons in a riot context.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The defendant was facing the charges alone in court.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): He did have good legal support denying his taking part in the riot.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The defence's case would be that he and his friends didn't take part in the riot and he needed his tools to do his job.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): If I believe something is the right thing to do, I won't deny it. Anyway.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The other day I was thinking a lot about the film "Shoplifters". Today, there were many shoplifting cases.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): What is worrying is that I heard that a young woman was caught in the act once, and it didn't take long for her to commit another one.
Peter takes a deep breath.
INT. STUDY - DAY
The TV is broadcasting protests and lootings.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Rioters and opportunists have got addicted to activities that make them happy.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): There're just like Hong Kong rioters.
The TV carries a story about organised protests in Hong Kong. An ANCHOR is commenting on the screen.
ANCHOR (from screen): It's said that there would be many protests during the day in Hong Kong today. We drove around and could only see 4 protestors.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd):It isn't good news from the broadcasting perspective.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Isn't it good that protests/riots for the sake of protests/riots to stop?
Peter surfs the web.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Albert Einstein says about insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Act 3
INT. SWIMMING POOL - DAY
Peter is swimming among other swimmers.
PETER (V.O.): Is this public swimming pool good?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Its standard size enables me to measure the lengths I have swum each time.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Tomorrow, my estate's swimming pool will reopen. I used to think that it's very good as it's exclusive.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Now, I've second thoughts about that as my goal now is to exercise my body rather than to enjoy the ambience.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): I'm still thinking about the man. Shouldn't his offer as a substitute victim be regarded as valuable and important?
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): If that would condone violence and couldn't be good, should he just watch others suffering from the criminal violence?
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): He was doing the best in the circumstances.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Anyway, it's a court of law and not a court of morals.
FLASHBACK
INT. OFFICE - DAY
Peter is about to finish his interview with the man.
PETER: I'll do the best I can.
Peter takes a deep breath as the man leaves.
END FLASHBACK
FADE OUT.
THE END
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