Make a Will
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Jun 11, 2021
- 3 min read
FADE IN.
Act 1
INT. BEDROOM - MORNING
It's 6.15am. PETER wakes up.
PETER (V.O.): I've got to do something that I can't wait - to make a will.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Yesterday night, I've satisfied myself that I can make a valid will by myself.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.): So, just do it.
INT. STUDY - LATER
Phone in hand, Peter does the dictation in Cantonese.
PETER (V.O.): I make my will in Chinese. Let me check the wordings used in the Chinese version of the Wills Ord.
Peter surfs the web.
Act 2
INT. STUDY - CONTINUOUS
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A will is a document that embodies the testamentary intentions of the deceased person.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): To satisfy the court that there can be no reasonable doubt that my will is my will, despite my signature wasn't witnessed, I'll recite the testator-friendly section 5(2) of the Wills Ord to evidence that I don't want to follow the formality-oriented section 5(1).
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): To confirm my testamentary intentions, I'd sign again after my recital of section 5(2).
Peter checks his draft.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It looks good.
Having printed the document, Peter signs it twice, happily.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Done!
Smiling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I'm a creative person. Even the design of my will is creative!
Having taken a photo of it, Peter sends it to someone.
EXT. CASTLE PEAK ROAD - AFTERNOON
Driving, Peter listens to the radio. We hear: ...I learned about word "death" at the age of six. Immediately, I was so afraid that I'd cry about an hour every night, worrying that good people around me might die...
PETER (V.O.): I worried about wars. But I was happy that I wasn't a girl. Why? I heard about childbirth could be very painful.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We're just childish.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In fact, we've to be grateful that we're born. I've learnt that the probability of being born is 1 in 400 trillion.
From the car radio, we hear:...Some terminally-ill patients regret that they haven't done the right things while they still could.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I envisage the scene of my playing guitar and singing my songs in my death bed.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But I might not be able to do that even if I wanted to.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Yes, I had better treat the present as a present and enjoy my moments!
Peter arrives at the Golden Beach car park.
EXT. GOLDEN COAST SWIMMING AREA - LATER
Happy beach goers. Peter is swimming along the area's orange buoy boom line.
PETER (V.O.): Having done my will, I've the urge to swim longer distance. Let me do a celebration lap around the whole swimming area then.
Peter swims against the waves rolling onto the shore.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I feel their energy. But I don't worry about them anymore.
Peter swims on slowly under the strong sunshine.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I'm just as cool as the water! I just wish the sunshine can tan my hair too!
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.): I've made my will today, June 11, 2021.
Recalling
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When I was a learner-driver from 1975-1976, I drove my instructor's car with the registration number AZ 611.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My instructor thought that "11" looked like a pair of chopsticks; and "6" in Cantonese sounded like "earn". So, metaphorically, "611" meant "getting fed".
Smiling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's said that success requires hard work. People in Hong Kong interpret "hard work" as that of the father!
Smiling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I don't mind at all. I've enjoyed the process.
Smiling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Make a will - not a wish - before one can throw one's cares to the wind.
Peter sleeps.
FADE OUT.
THE END
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