Missed Transfer
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Mar 12
- 3 min read
Act 1
MONTAGE OF PETER'S RITUALS
A. Swimming pool - 9:15. PETER enters the water cleanly. He swims all four strokes.
B. Living room - 10:30. Peter picks up his handheld devices, utilizing each one to learn a different foreign language through Duolingo.
C. Living room - 12:00. Peter places a Remi Pad2 on the piano stand. He practises a song, following an online tutorial for guidance.
END MONTAGE
EXT. ESTATE PARK - 13:00
While walking, Peter checks a bus app.
PETER (V.O.): Oh, I've just missed the bus...perhaps I can take the MTR instead.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I prefer public transport over driving since it allows me to multitask while travelling.
Act 2
INT. MTR STATION/TRAIN - 13:00
The train arrives with a whoosh of air. Peter steps on. He sits, pulling out his phone. He strolls past photos of smoke and fire.
PETER (V.O.): Are we in the early days of WWIII?
Later, he looks up at the digital display above the doors. His eyes widen slightly.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, I'm so engrossed I don't notice the stations flashing by. I'm two stops past my transfer point.
He lets out a small, silent sigh.
INT. MEI FOO STATION - LATER
Peter walks briskly through a long and wide transfer corridor.
PETER (V.O.): It adds at least 10 minutes to my journey.
He doesn't seem angry.
MONTAGE AT PETER'S NT HOME
A. Peter washes his cars, ensuring they shine.
B. Peter plays the Clavinova and then the piano.
C. Peter cleans the floors, maintaining a tidy environment.
END MONTAGE
INT. MTR TRAIN/STATION - 19:15
On the train back, Peter is again on his phone.
PETER (V.O.): The Thucydides trap is arrogance...
Researching.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Offensive realism posits that states are inherently power-seeking entities that operate in an anarchic international system.
The train stops at a station.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, I'm lost in thought again.
Peter gets up automtically and steps off. He looks around.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): No, it isn't my station. It's a stop before mine.
Peter stands still for a moment.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've done it again.
He slowly shakes his head, a tiny, almost imperceptible movement of self-reproach.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Just wait for the next train.
On the train heading home, Peter looks out of the window.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Two LLMs on International law - Lond External in 1986 - UCL in1987.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When Iraq was invaded, I knew it's a war crime.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As there's no effective centralized authority, the strong do what they can. The weak must suffer what they must. Thucydides proved that.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Those in positions of authority keep choosing to loose. Not because they've to. Because they're too proud, too blind. Maybe that's the real tragedy.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Power politics trumps everything. The legal principles don't count. That's why I was stupid to master them.
Act 3
INT. LIVING ROOM - 22:30
Peter uploads a photo of a MTR platform with glass doors lining the train tracks, emphasing safety and accessibility to a draft on his laptop.
PETER (V.O.): The missed transfer isn't just a mistake; it's that moment when the doors shut, the train pulls away, and I become aware that I've been mentally elsewhere for the last 10 minutes.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My mind was a library of the world's problems. The shelf for getting home timely was empty.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My life can be defined by its missed transfers. Not the grand disasters, but the quiet moments when I got lost and the world moved on without me.
The END
FADE OUT
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