March 11
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Mar 11, 2021
- 3 min read
FADE IN.
Act 1
EXT. ROADS - MORNING
PETER is driving his SMART car.
PETER (V.O.): Today is March 11. I should be appearing in Court, but for the Court's order to vacate the hearing and to re-fix it on another date.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The matter is actually frivolous and vexatious. I submitted that in my written skeleton argument sent in advance. I believe the Court felt the same too.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It isn't a thing worth spending time on. And it's pretty annoying that my client and the Court are being embroiled in it.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): After all, it's all about money. People can earn more money, but not time.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I feel like having a vacation now.
Act 2
EXT/INT. NT HOME - CONTINOUS
Peter parks his car on the roadside.
PETER (V.O.): For at least 10 years, I haven't come back in the morning.
Having cleared the mail box at the gate, Peter gets inside his 3-storey house.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Apart from decluttering, see if I can do something constructive.
At the penthouse, Peter turns on a HiFi system. We hear hall sounds.
PETER (V.O.)( Cont'd): It sounds perfect. Wasn't there a problem?
After awhile, the music stops.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): What's the problem?
Peter presses the Open/Close button. There's no response.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): This is the problem. I've forgotten about it.
The system continues to ignore Peter's frantic touching of the buttons. Peter then checks the cover of the unit.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, it's loose. Yes, I opened it last time. I thought the problem would recur.
Uncovering the case, Peter presses the Open/Close button again.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I see. The disks are jammed. A mechanical problem and not an electronic one.
Applying pressure on the movable parts, Peter sees them operating differently. As Peter presses the Open/Close button again, the disk tray ejects.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Ha, problem solved! Great!
Peter goes out to the dirty terrace.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I haven't cleaned it for years.
Turning on a tap, Peter washes the floor with a mop. Then, the mop's handle breaks.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Yes, I've left it exposed for years.
Turning off the tap, Peter sees water continuing to drip from it.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I haven't turned it on and off for years.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The problem will get worse. Let me go to the complex to get a plumber to fix it.
EXT. ARTIFICIAL LAKE - AFTERNOON
Peter is enjoying a meal at a lakeside restaurant.
PETER (V.O.): It's good that the plumber will do the repair soon.
INT/EXT. NT HOME - LATER
The PLUMBER (62) arrives.
PLUMBER: Long time no see!
PETER: Yes, I seldom come back... It's a tap outside the penthouse.
They walk upstairs to the penthouse. As the plumber begins to fix the tap with some force, Peter hears the plumber's breath sounds.
PLUMBER: I had a mild stroke two years ago, on the date when I turned 60. I've lost some strength.
PETER: Oh, dear...
Act 3
EXT. ROADS - EVENING
Peter is driving a Nissan SX coupe.
PETER (V.O.): I'm glad that the plumping was done well. The plumber's two assistants came later.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've also placed other orders. The plumber has earned more money today.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Ten years ago, I was in the States, staying in Uncle Jimmy's home, witnessing the marriage of his eldest son.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That's where we heard about the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My family toured the area in Dec 2019. And we haven't had a family tour since then, although time passes by quickly.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): How many 10 years could one have?
FADE OUT.
THE END
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