Great Investment

1. FADE IN.

2. 
   

3. Act 1

4. 
   

5. INT. STUDY - 09:45

6. 
   

7. Smartphone in hand, PETER checks the Hang Sang index.

8. 
   

9. PETER (V.O.): The stock market opens a bit high, but is fast going down.

10. 
    

11. We see the fast changing numerals on Peter's smartphone screen.

12. 
    

13. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Well, the remainder of my paper gains will soon be wipe out.

14. 
    

15. Pausing.

16. 
    

17. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've long-term gain in mind. To ease the short-term pain, I'll average down and increase my ownership of the companies.

18. 
    

19. Peter types on his smartphone.

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've been doing that for the past seven consecutive trading days. Apart from the money, have I invested my time and effort wisely?

22. 
    

23. Pausing.

24. 
    

25. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Should I just put this new business of mine aside?

26. 
    

27. Act 2

28. 
    

29. INT. BATHROOM - 12:45

30. 
    

31. Two tortoises are swimming in the bathtub. As Peter uses his fingers to stir the water to get the tortoises' attention.

32. 
    

33. PETER (V.O.): The smaller one is forever curious and aggressive.

34. 
    

35. Getting close to Peter's fingers, the smaller one bits one of them, but Peter doesn't react.

36. 
    

37. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It causes me no pain. The bigger one knew it and won't bite me. Perhaps, it doesn't love me at all!

38. 
    

39. Peter smiles.

40. 
    

41. INT. DINING ROOM - 13:00

42. 
    

43. Seeing Peter having noodles, KAJI, the family pet, jumps onto a chair and sits near him.

44. 
    

45. PETER (V.O.): Her eyes say: "Peter, can I have some, please?"

46. 
    

47. Reluctantly, Peter lets Kaji sample a bit.

48. 
    

49. INT. STUDY - 14: 10

50. 
    

51. Peter checks the red numerals on his smartphone screen.

52. 
    

53. PETER (V.O.): As predicted, all my paper gains have been wiped out. After weeks of effort, I'm back to square one - completing a small rising-peaking-correcting-bottoming cycle

54. 
    

55. Recalling.

56. 
    

57. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Let me do something productive. I haven't responded to invitations to remain on arbitration panels.

58. 
    

59. Peter works on his laptop.

60. 
    

61. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): While the electronic forms are easier to complete than before, I've to attach my education certificates.

62. 
    

63. Opening a brief case, Peter takes out diplomas.

64. 
    

65. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Of all the diplomas I got in the 1980s, I take pride in my BA (Hons) in Philosophy (Lond) 1981.

66. 
    

67. Peter examines the diploma.

68. 
    

69. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As an external student, I studied Philosophy for five years all by myself and got my first degree with honours.

70. 
    

71. Recalling.

72. 
    

73. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I paid just a few thousand Hong Kong dollars for the registration and examination fees.

75. Thinking.

76. 
    

77. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It was a great investment.

78. 
    

79. Peter takes photos of the diplomas. After taping on his smartphone screen and typing on his laptop, Peter inserts the images in an e-application form.

80. 
    

81. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Done! Let me deal with another. I've already invested my time and effort in the past. Renewal applications are free.

82. 
    

83. Peter repeats the process.

84. 
    

85. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): If I didn't take any action, I won't be considered, although the fundamentals remain the same.

86. 
    

87. Having checked the time, Peter taps quickly on his smartphone screen.

88. 
    

89. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Today's stock trading is about to end. I've amended the prices of my orders so that they can be fully executed timely.

90. 
    

91. Soon, we hear a few Ding-Ding sounds. Then, Peter researches and reads something.

92. 
    

93. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Here's an interesting observation: "Stocks go down faster than they go up, but go up more than they go down"?

94. 
    

95. Pausing.

96. 
    

97. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The former part is due to panic selling. As to the latter part, it can be evidenced by the stock trading history here and there.

98. 
    

99. Pausing.

100. 
     

101. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): However, not everyone can afford to wait for the good or better times.

103. Act 3

104. 
     

105. INT. STUDY - 16:30

106. 
     

107. Peter checks the numerals on his smartphone screen.

108. 
     

109. PETER (V.O.): Surprise! My total gain today isn't negative yet!

110. 
     

111. Pausing.

112. 
     

113. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I don't know the correction/bottom phase of the stock market can be that consistent.

114. 
     

115. Pausing.

116. 
     

117. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's a good learning experience to me. I like to predict the Hong Kong stock market will enter into the rising phase before long.

118. 
     

119. Pausing.

120. 
     

121. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In due course, the portfolio that I've built would become another great investment.

122. 
     

123. FADE OUT

124. 
     

125. THE END