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Fairness Is Like a Clutch

Writer's picture: Peter K F Cheung SBSPeter K F Cheung SBS

  1. FADE IN.


  2. Act 1


  3. INT. SLEEPING ROOM - 5.am


  4. PETER wakes up.


  5. PETER (V.O.): Well, I've slept better than yesterday. Let me get up as if I had to prepare for my court appearance.


  6. INT. STUDY - 6.am


  7. An iPad Mini in hand, Peter is watching video clips on dancing.


  8. PETER (V.O.): I bought this iPad Mini 3 in late 2014. I've used it so much that its home key became out of order in early 2019.


  9. Pausing.


  10. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And I bought an iPad Mini 5 in March 2019. I was keen to capture cherry blossoms every Spring.

  11. Pausing.


  12. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Now, I've the urge to fix anything if they're still fixable.


  13. Peter looks out of the window.


  14. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Let me go running and dancing in the Park first.


  15. Act 2


  16. INT. SLEEPING ROOM - AFTERNOON


  17. Background Latin music. Peter is staring at his phone screen.


  18. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Here's a Quora answer request: What does it mean to say that life is not fair? What does "fair" look like?


  19. Pausing.


  20. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): The first part isn't deep. But the second part isn't easy.


  21. Pausing.


  22. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I believe it's Nature's way to sustain life' s force at the expense of instances that aren't quite fit.


  23. Pausing.


  24. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We aren't born equal.


  25. Pausing.


  26. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): To survive, we've to capture and deliver value.


  27. Pausing.


  28. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And the reward isn't measured by a person's input or output. It's based on the objective outcome.


  29. Pausing.


  30. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Even when one has tried his or her best, that isn't good enough. They've to achieve what is socially required.


  31. Pausing.


  32. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): While institutions and our own efforts can address the imbalance somewhat, we can't reinvent Nature.


  33. Pausing.


  34. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Life is inherently unfair.


  35. Pausing.


  36. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We've to accept the fact.


  37. Pausing.


  38. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That we can be born to this world is already a privilege. It's unfair to the unborn.


  39. Pausing.


  40. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As to what does "fair" look like? I think fairness is like a clutch.


  41. Pausing.


  42. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Once we've life, we've to embrace it. It's like pressing a car clutch to engage with the engine. We wear out, just like the clutch.


  43. Pausing.


  44. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Fair wear and tear are expected and aren't unexpected.


  45. Pausing.


  46. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We can't have the cake and eat it. Isn't that "fair"?


  47. Recalling.


  48. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My sports car's clutch wore out several years ago, having done its job for over 25 years.


  49. Recalling.


  50. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Although it was hard to find spare parts for an old car, I could still find them.


  51. Pausing,


  52. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But for life, no one has a spare one. Life is fair in that way.

  53. Peter sighs.


  54. Act 3


  55. INT. SLEEPING ROOM - CONTINUOUS


  56. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've just come back from a repairer, having paid the deposit to buy the spare part of my iPad Mini 3.


  57. Pausing.


  58. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I feel good to salvage the residual value of anything.


  59. Pausing.


  60. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): What money can resolve aren't problems.


  61. Pausing.


  62. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As a senior citizen, it's only fair that I should refocus on my well-being.


  63. Pausing.


  64. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've got to enjoy more the autumn of my life.


  65. As the Latin music ends, Peter plays another disk.


  66. FADE OUT.


  67. THE END


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