FADE IN.
Act 1
INT. SITTING ROOM - AFTERNOON
In front of audio-visual systems, PETER, with a DVD in hand, is talking to his WIFE.
PETER: I don't know how to operate the systems. Could you help play this DVD for me?
With a remote control in hand, his wife shows Peter how to do it.
WIFE: You've to select "DVD", and the audio-visual systems will operate.
Unwrapping the DVD package, Peter inserts the disk into the player tray. Then, we see a menu page.
PETER: Where's the DVD player's remote control?
They check all the remote controls in sight and can't find the right one.
PETER (Cont'd): We haven't watched DVDs for many years. We don't even know we've mislaid a remote control.
Peter directly presses the Play button on the player. We hear sounds and see moving images.
WIFE: We'll find it, in due course.
Act 2
INT. SITTING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Having heard the song Call Me, we see Richard Gere (31) appearing on the TV screen.
PETER (V.O.):The American Gigolo was the first film in which Richard Gere played the lead.
Peter researches with his phone.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The film was made in 1980. That year, I was completing the final year of my Housing Management studies.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Instead of staying put in the housing sector, I moved on to become a Land Executive. And then I began my 1st year part-time study on Land Administration in the HK Polytechnic.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And only 1 year was left before I had to sit my London U degree exams in Philosophy in 1981.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Meanwhile, I was also applying for Government's legal training scholarship 1980.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I was then 25, believing I'd all the time in the world; but I wasted no time to invest in my future.
Peter checks an image of a white-haired gentleman on his phone screen.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Is that Richard Gere now?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Well, I only need to look in the mirror to check my own image. I find it hard to recognize myself too.
The film ends.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): This crime/drama was budgeted for US$5 million. It grossed US$52.7 million at the box office. No doubt, lead players of the film's making could have extraordinary lives.
INT. SITTING ROOM - EVENING
Peter is watching a James Bond film.
PETER (V.O.): I've watched On Her Majesty's Secret Service a couple of times before. Among the James Bond film series, I found this 1969 one different, in its ending.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): In the drama, Mrs Bond was killed, having just married. In reality, the lead actor George Lazenby was a one-time James Bond.
Peter surfs the web with his phone.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): George Lazenby was around 29 when he turned down the offer to repeat acting as James Bond.
Reading.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): He might have the opportunity to collaborate with Bruce Lee in another film, but for Bruce's sudden death at the age of 32.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): How's the lead actress doing now?
Peter surfs the web again.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): She was Diana Rigg. Oh, she died of cancer this Sept, at the age of 82.
On Peter's phone screen, we see the text: ...She spent her last months joyfully reflecting on her extraordinary life...
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): For the past years, have I been joyfully reflecting on my life?
Act 3
INT. SITTNG ROOM - CONTINOUS
On the TV screen. we see James Bond reckoning his newly-wed has just been shot dead. And then, we hear him remembering a line: ...We have all the time in the world.
PETER (V.O.): I first watched the film in cinema around 1970.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Then, I was 15, going on 16. I had all the time in the world.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Now, I've started doing the count down.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): All along, I know acting timely is important. But I've learned in 2020 that we've to act timely, relentlessly.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We just can't take any regularity like life expectancy for granted.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As I meant to watch the DVDs that I bought, I'd better watch them while I still can.
FADE OUT.
THE END
Thank you. You are correct. We need to remember that we have led extraordinary lives and need to focus on that, remember that, memorialize that. Thank you for your your always kind, always supportive, wise words. One day I need to figure out how to build one of these blogs myself! Stay safe.