Good Things Take Time
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Jul 13, 2021
- 3 min read
FADE IN.
Act 1
INT. SITTING ROOM - AFTERNOON
Sitting together, PETER is typing on his phone, while his WIFE is working on a laptop.
PETER (V.O.): When I share my decades-old stories in Quora, I feel happy.
WIFE: You still haven't transferred to me your share of our children's tuition money and the usual money for family expenses.
PETER: What date is today?
WIFE: 13th...You usually do that at the beginning of the month. Just a gentle reminder.
Peter checks his phone calendar.
PETER: I went to the July 1 reception. And then I completed a professional assignment on July 2. I began to feel relaxing from July 3-4.
PETER (V.O.): What followed was my own week-long holiday. Then, my wife and I had our staycation in the Peninsula.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Right after that I drove my wife to take her 1st jab. Oh yes, the jab phobia.
Act 2
FLASHBACK
INT. THE PENINSULA - MORNING; (Yesterday)
Peter and his wife are having breakfast at the Lobby.
WIFE: I believe the classic Green Spot commercial was shot here. Remember the non-carbonated orange-based soft drink?
PETER: Yes, the commercial featured a young boy, a waiter and a gentleman - all wearing bow ties.
PETER (V.O.): When I was working as a part-time waiter in the Castle Peak Hotel in the late 1960s and early 1970s, I wore a bow tie too.
WIFE: When I was a young girl, I found the commercial very persuasive.
PETER (V.O.): It was a popular soft drink way back when. I served a lot of Green Spots to hotel patrons.
WIFE: As we only live once, we should experience and enjoy more.
Pausing.
WIFE (Cont'd): It's only now that I could have a good feel of the Hotel environment.
PETER (V.O.): I believe the historical Hotel hasn't changed much since the early 1970s.
Peter takes a look of his cup of coffee.
PETER: I had a story to tell about the symbol of this Hotel too.
His wife listens.
PETER: I was doing matriculation in the early 1970s. One day, a classmate came up to me and boasted that we had been to the Peninsula.
Pausing.
PETER (Cont'd): He wasn't from a well-off family either. Unlike me, he had no earning capacity.
Pausing.
PETER (Cont'd): He said he wanted to feel the high-society lifestyle in the Peninsula. He paid HK$10 for a cup of coffee.
Pausing.
PETER (Cont'd): He added that he sat in the Lobby for long hours.
Pausing.
PETER (Cont'd): I was then working in Castle Peak Hotel from 4:30pm -11:00pm on week days, earning a daily wage of HK$10.
Peter sips his cup of coffee.
PETER: I hate to live pretentiously. Now, we're here.
RETURN TO PRESENT
INT. MALL - LATER
Peter parts his wife at a nail salon.
PETER (V.O.): She's enjoying her jab holiday. The Government is quite a good employer.
Peter goes to a nearby ATM.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've to work tomorrow and shall appear in court early next week.
Hitting ATM keys, Peter transfers some money.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I'm taking my 2nd jab coming Friday. I hope any adverse effect will be gone before my court appearance.
EXT. PET GARDEN - LATER
Peter and his wife are walking their family PET.
PETER (V.O.): I want to keep my wife company. I've already had my 1st jab for 22 days but my wife has just taken it yesterday.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I didn't swim yesterday. Perhaps I'd only swim tomorrow.
Act 3
INT. SITTING ROOM - NIGHT
Peter's younger SON is playing the piano.
PETER (V.O.): He is returning to Sydney for his clinical courses in a fortnight.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Our younger daughter will be returning to UK in Sept for her final year in Animation Art.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Today is 2nd work day of our elder daughter now living in Tokyo. And my elder son is doing quite well on all fronts.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Good things take time.
FADE OUT.
THE END
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