Go Somewhere
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Apr 20, 2022
- 2 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. STUDY - 17:00
Putting aside his laptop, PETER lies in a sofa.
PETER (V.O.): It's good that I've fixed my work schedule next week.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've begun worrying if there'd be other schedule clashes.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A HKUST meeting cum meal is being refixed.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Although I haven't resumed my monthly travelling hobby, I won't let my work interfere with it.
Act 2
FLASHBACK
INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT (Last Saturday)
Peter's FAMILY are skyping. We hear: Term break is coming up. Should I go somewhere? Is Tasmania good?
WIFE: If you enjoy nature and doing nothing.
PETER (V.O.): She has been to Tasmania but I haven't. I was still working hard then.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In 1995, I spoke in a Sydney conference and my wife kept my company.
WIFE: To Uluru to see the red rock...
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We didn't return until 2017 when our son began his medical studies.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We visited the Blue Mountains. And in another trip, we supported our son's fencing competition in Gold Coast.
We hear:...To get different perspectives of the Ayers Rock at different times of the days?
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): On a solo trip, I went to Canberra to visit my friend who was formerly the Registrar of Trade Marks in Australia.
PETER (To screen): To Canberra to see the capital in a day or two.
We hear: How about Melbourne?
PETER (To screen): Oh yes! It should be a good choice.
PETER (V.O.): I'm the only family member who has been to Melbourne.
INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY (Yesterday)
Peter and his wife are chatting.
WIFE: Our son has decided to go to Melbourne.
Nodding, Peter taps his Google Photo App, mines an image of a city's at dusk and sends it via What'sApp.
RETURN TO PRESENT
Picking up his smart phone by his side, Peter reads his Diary, June-July 2019.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My expiring flight miles was only good to redeem a Sydney-Melbourne ticket.
Reading.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I flew in Sydney on Saturday morning to reunite with my son. I left for Melbourne the following Monday.
Reading.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In Melbourne, I stayed two nights in Central and two nights in Southbank to get different perspectives.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The image I sent my son yesterday was taken from Melbourne Southbank.
Reading.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Returning on Friday that week, I met up my elder son who took the day off to fly to Sydney to see his brother as well.
Reading.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That night, we watched "Madame Butterfly" in the Sydney Opera House!
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Father and two sons together in Sydney - one of the happiest moments of my life!
Act 3
INT. STUDY - CONTINUOUS
We see on screen: "Anxiety Before a Trip"-
Here I go again,
To a Winter place.
To do a splendid thing,
I feel like an ace!
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Did I write it?
We see on screen another poem on "Melbourne":
Melbourne is really liveable.
Look at my colourful pictures -
As attractive as a mini-skirt,
As fresh as its vegetables and fruits.
Hong Kong isn't that liveable,
But it has Hongkonger's culture -
I can try to transform other's work,
But I can't be a tree without roots.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Wherever I go, I go with all of my heart.
Getting up, Peter works on his laptop again.
FADE OUT
THE END
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