Five TVs Gone
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- May 24, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: May 25, 2025
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. BEDROOM - 06:45
PETER wakes up.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Today is a significant day.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.): The contractor from the environmental office will visit my NT home to collect five analog TVs.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I also want to ask an electrician to repair a malfunctioning staircase light and a malfunctioning airconditioner socket.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And I don't want to miss my daily swim, so on my way to my NT bome, I'll stop by Golden Bay for a quick swim.
Peter grabs his smartphone.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Meanwhile, let me finish a few Duolingo streaks first.
Act 2
EXT/INT. PETER'S NT HOME - 10:45
Peter parks his red coupe by the roadside in front of his home.
PETER (V.O): I'm on time. The collection time is between 11am and 3pm.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): The electrician, just a few years younger than me, has a big job today, but I hope he can come in the late afternoon.
Soon, Peter spots a truck from the enviromental office approaching.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): It's time to get started.
Peter greets staff MEMBERS#1 & 2 at the gate.
PETER: There're two TVs on G/F, two on 1/F and one on 2/F.
MEMBER#1: Let me check them first.
Peter shows him the TVs on each floor.
MEMBER#1: Once we've the five TVs, they can't be reclaimed.
PETER (V.O) : It's a pain point, but I've held onto them long enough.
As Peter nods ,staff member#1 hands him a note.
MEMBER #1 (Cont'd): Sign this.
After receiving Peter's signed note, staff MEMBER#1 picks up a 31-inch TV and carries it alone from 2/F to G/F.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): He is young and strong. I can't manage that anymore.
Staff member#2 has already removed the TVs from G/F and 1/F.
MEMBER#1 (Cont'd): They're all antiques.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Yes, I've seen similar pieces displayed in museums.
As the staff members load the five TVs onto the truck, Peter notices the cover of the control panel on a Toshiba fall off. He quickly picks it up.
PETER (to staff member#1): Do you need it?
MEMBER#1: No, the TVs can't be fixed.
PETER (V.O.): What was treasure to me has become trash...I'll keep it as a souvenir, then.
Peter returns home and heads up to the terrace to watch the truck drive away.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That's it. I need to refocus on fixing other issues in my home.
At around 3:30pm , Peter spots a van and goes to the gate to greet the ELECTRICIAN.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): He looks good! The last time I hired him, he told me he had a heart condition.
The electrician inspects and replaces the staircase light.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Great, it wouldn't short circuit again.
Later, the Electrician shows Peter that the airconditioner socket now has power but the airconditioner isn't working.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I can't remember the last time it worked.
ELECTRICIAN: You need a new airconditioner.
PETER: Yes, replace one for me. By the way, I also need to repair the kitchen ceiling light...
Peter guides the electrician to the kitchen.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I might have 100 problems; now I only have 94.
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM - 22:00
Peter inserts an AI drawing titled: "Five TVs Gone..." to a draft on his laptop.
PETER (V.O): I went from "vintage collector" to "hoarder with a wake-up call" in one afternoon.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Funny how holding on feels like safety - until I realize it's just weight.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Five TV's gone. The air feels lighter now. Or perhaps it's just dust settlng...for good.
FADE OUT
END
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