Drinking Bottled Time
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Jul 18, 2025
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. BEDROOM - 10:00
Light filters through the curtains. PETER is sitting up in bed with his mobile in hand, scrolling through his apps.
PETER (V.O.): I've already completed my morning swim at Silverstrand.
Peter glances over at his WIFE who is about to wake up.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I feel thirsty and hungry. I know my wife will skip breakfast.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We're preparing for our buffet lunch later, which is set for after 12pm.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Recently, I received a marketing leaflet about a buffet offering discounts for senior citizens.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My wife is eager to savour different cuicines and suggested we should give it a try.
Act 2
INT. CAFE CIRCLES, NINA HOTEL - 12:45
Senior CITIZENS dominate the cafe. Peter and his wife enter.
PETER (V.O.): I see a man reaching into the fridge to retreive a chilled bottle of Coke.
They are directed to a table in the corner.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Superb...Let me grab a bottle of Coke first.
Peter heads to the fridge to grab a bottle of Coke and uses a bottle opener to pop it open.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I haven't done that for ages.
Peter grabs a straw.
MONTAGE OF PETER'S BOTTLE OPENING EXPERIENCE AT CASTLE PEAK HOTEL (1969)
A. Bar. Dressed in white shirt and dark trousers, Peter (15) uses a bottle opener to pop up caps off a tray filled with refreshing drinks: Coke, 7Up and Green Spot.
B. Open-air cafe. With a warm smile, Peter makes his way to a lively Japanese tour GROUP, serving them chilled beverages with straws attached to them.
END MONTAGE
Peter returns to the table, beaming with pride as he shows his wife the bottle of Coke.
PETER: Bottled Coke! Haven't held one for a long time.
FLASHBACK
EXT. KIOSK, SHUNG TAK COLLEGE - DAY (1966)
Sweats in a uniform, Peter (12) compares two bottles: Coke and Pepsi.
PETER (V.O.): The small Coke costs 30 cents while the large Pepsi is priced at 20 cents.
He slaps two coins on the counter, grabs the Pepsi.
RETURN TO PRESENT
Shortly after, his wife returns with a bottle of Coke and a warm bowl of soup.
WIFE: I see bottles of Vitasoy in the water heater.
PETER: Is that right? I must grab one.
Having only finished half of his bottle of Coke, Peter leaves the table.
PETER (V.O.): I can't contain my excitment.
At the water heater, Peter carefully lifts out a bottle of Vitasoy, pops the cap open and grabs a straw.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): The Observatory has issued a very hot weather warning today...Anyhow, I've thermo comfort here.
At the table, Peter quickly drinks two-thirds of the Vitasoy in the bottle.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's preserved at the perfect drinking temperature. My boyhood isn't gone.
FLASHBACK
INT. STORE, OPPOSITE SHUNG TAK COLLEGE - 07:00 (1966)
Winter. Peter is enjoying a hot Vitasoy alongside two Pineapple buns.
PETER (V.O.): The package costs 35 cents. Recently, I dreamt about having it for breakfast, and now I'm turning that dream into reality, although spending 35 cents is a hard decision to make.
RETURN TO PRESENT
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Memory is the only thing that fills me up and hollows me out in the same sip.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The buffet's secret menu: "Vitasoy a la Memory".
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM - 21:45
Peter uploads an image depicting the bottled Coke and Vitasoy to a draft on his laptop.
PETER (V.O.): The past never fades. It just learns to bottle itself.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Memories are bottled - sealed by time and uncorked by senses.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Drinking
bottled time is the only way to grasp memory.
FADE OUT
END
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