Little Cues
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Sep 8, 2020
- 2 min read
FADE IN.
Act 1
EXT. SITTING ROOM - DAY
Phone in hand, PETER is thinking
PETER (V.O.): Should I respond to a Quora request or should I do more preparation for tomorrow's hearing?
Staring at the phone screen.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But I've a story to tell about my family's adventure in the Aomori region of Japan last December.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've the urge to share it with the world so that it might be felt everywhere.
Peter selects images from his phone.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I like to provide readers with visual cues to interpret my stories better.
Having typed some texts, Peter submits and publishes his story.
Checking statistics.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Wow, many Quorans respond in a split second.
Checking content.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I love my story too. It has many twists and turns. It isn't fiction.
Checking some e-legislation.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Pretty boring.
Later, Peter dozes off.
Act 2
INT. SLEEPING ROOM - DAY
.
Early morning, Peter gets up to check time.
PETER (V.O.): I always wake up before the clock alarms.
Checking phone notifications.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): There's an upvote, thank-you and an interesting comment of my story from afar. Peter Cheung - a comedian?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Have I succeeded to take on my challenge and play with it?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Anyhow, I'd forgive myself for not knowing what I didn't know before.
EXT. MTR EXIT - DAY
It's raining cats and dogs.
PETER (V.O.): Waiting for the rain to pass may sacrifice my punctuality.
Peter begins walking towards a building in the rain.
INT. COURT - DAY
ALL rise, the court is adjourned. Peter's ASSISTANT#1 (20s) hands him some documents to sign.
ASSISTANT#1: You've spoken and submit a lot today.
Peter nods.
ASSISTANT#1: You don't sound you're in your 60s.
Peter puts a hand in his hair.
PETER: It's all silvery.
ASSISTANT#1: Dye your hair, and no one can tell how old you're.
Peter smiles.
INT. RESTAURANT - DAY
Having sampled a dish of steamed minced pork, Peter takes a photo of it.
PETER (V.O.): Its look and taste resemble that one I had when I was a kid.
FLASHBACK
INT. HOME, CENTRAL - NIGHT (1958)
STAFF and FAMILY MEMBERS gather around a big dinner table. Peter (4) is the only kid among them. An AMAH (40s) is placing a small dish of steamed minced pork in front of Peter.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That's my privilege, as the eldest grandson of the Cheung family.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): How's Amah? Since our relocation to NT in 1960, we didn't have any staff or domestic helper. Her name is "Dai Tse" or 弟姐 (Brother-Sister).
Counting his fingers.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That was some 60 years ago. She should be 100 something by now...
Peter is in thoughts.
Act 3
INT. OFFICE - DAY
ASSISTANT#2 (30s) passes some documents to Peter to sign.
ASSISTANT#2: What does your SBS mean?
PETER: Silver Bauhinia Star.
ASSISTANT#2: How to get it?
PETER: Play a leading role in public affairs over a long period.
Assistant#2 doesn't seem to get it.
PETER (Cont'd): Sacrificing 40 years of my life.
INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY
Peter is working behind a computer.
PETER (V.O.): Little cues help me engage with people either online or in person; they also trigger my fond memories.
FADE OUT.
THE END
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