Monday Blues

1. FADE IN.
   

2. 
   

3. Act 1
   

4. 
   

5. INT. SLEEPING ROOM - DAY
   

6. 
   

7. PETER wakes up.
   

8. 
   

9. PETER (V.O.): I didn't have any nightmare...But today is Monday...and I've my on-and-off my Monday Blues.
   

10. 
    

11. FLASHBACK
    

12. 
    

13. INT. OFFICE - DAY (2004 - 2011)
    

14. 
    

15. Open space. Peter (50-56) leads a standing meeting. Around two dozens COLLEAGUES are attending.
    

16. 
    

17. END FLASHBACK
    

18. 
    

19. PETER (V.O.): Having learned leadership at Harvard in 2003, I wanted to do something different by enhancing transparency, communications, and knowledge transfer. I chose to hold a standing meeting on the first Monday of every month.
    

20. 
    

21. Pausing.
    

22. 
    

23. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Part of the reason was to help colleagues who might have Monday blues.
    

24. 
    

25. Pausing.
    

26. 
    

27. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My "Monday blues" is that I can't bear my "laziness" that I don't have to do anything specific on a Monday.
    

28. 
    

29. Pausing.
    

30. 
    

31. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I had better do my morning exercises first.
    

32. 
    

33. Act 2
    

34. 
    

35. FLASHBACK (CONTINOUS)
    

36. 
    

37. INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY
    

38. 
    

39. Checking his phone mails, Peter finds something interesting.
    

40. 
    

41. PETER (V.O.): As expected, the Airline sent me an invitation regarding my options due to the Airline's cancellation of my flights to Kumamoto.
    

42. 
    

43. Peter taps and types on his phone screen.
    

44. 
    

45. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): I chose a full refund rather than to change my flights later in the year.
    

46. 
    

47. Pausing.
    

48. 
    

49. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I meant to see my elder daughter and the cherry blossoms there in March. My trip is time-sensitive.
    

50. 
    

51. Pondering.
    

52. 
    

53. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): If the coronavirus is to stay, it is not sure when Japan will resume the visa-free arrangement and lift its quarantines for arrivals from Hong Kong. Instead of visiting Japan, there is an imperfect substitute though.
    

54. 
    

55. FLASHBACK UPON FLASHBACK
    

56. 
    

57. INT. DONKI, TSIMSHATSUI - NIGHT
    

58. 
    

59. Peter and his WIFE are shopping around.
    

60. 
    

61. WIFE: It used to be the case that customers have to queue up for entry.
    

62. 
    

63. PETER: I don't know about this place in Hong Kong. It seems that whatever grocery items that are good in Japan can be found here.
    

64. 
    

65. They arrive at the fruit section.
    

66. 
    

67. PETER: Oh, Fukuoka strawberries. I had some in Sapporo in February, It was just 10% cheaper than those sold in Hong Kong.
    

68. 
    

69. WIFE: We still have an unopened pack at home.
    

70. 
    

71. PETER: Oh, these strawberries are from Kumamoto!
    

72. 
    

73. WIFE: They have pink ones - expensive too.
    

74. 
    

75. Peter takes a deep breath.
    

76. 
    

77. PETER: I'm not going there now. What a shame.
    

78. 
    

79. They reach the sanitary section and see some bottles of bleaches on display.
    

80. 
    

81. PETER: When I was in Japan in February, you asked me to buy some bleaches there. As they are corrosive, they can't be checked-in or cabin baggage, you know. Would you like to buy some now?
    

82. 
    

83. WIFE: No, I've just bought a bottle in Kowloon City.
    

84. 
    

85. They arrive in the beverage section.
    

86. 
    

87. PETER: Oh, Hokkaido milk. The price has marked up just 10-20% here. I had some in Sapporo... We should buy some.
    

88. 
    

89. They pick up a pack of five.
    

90. 
    

91. After paying near the Exit, Peter sees a resident store selling baked reddish-purple skin sweet potatoes.
    

92. 
    

93. PETER: I want to buy one! Just HK$20.
    

94. 
    

95. WIFE: Are you hungry? We've just had a full dinner.
    

96. 
    

97. Peter is tongue-tied.
    

98. 
    

99. MONTAGE
    

100. 
     

101. A. City centre, Sapporo, Peter buys a large piece of the Murasaki sweet potato from a hawker and pays Yen1000.
     

102. 
     

103. B. Cruise, Kagoshima. Peter buys a medium-sized Murasaki sweet potato on board and pays Yen 600.
     

104. .
     

105. C. Meiji Temple. Tokyo. Peter buys a small piece of the Murasaki sweet potato from a hawker and pays Yen 500.
     

106. 
     

107. END MONTAGE
     

108. 
     

109. Peter and his wife waiting at the store.
     

110. 
     

111. FLASHBACK UPON FLASHBACK (CONTINOUS)
     

112. 
     

113. INT. OPEN SPACE - NIGHT
     

114. 
     

115. As they chat, Peter's DAD (40s) and Peter (20s) are enjoying sweet potato tangshui together.
     

116. 
     

117. END FLASHBACK UPON FLASHBACK
     

118. 
     

119. BACK TO PRESENT
     

120. 
     

121. Act 3
     

122. 
     

123. Peter dresses up.
     

124. 
     

125. PETER (V.O.): Let me stay healthy by doing some exercises first. When I first retired, I spent a lot of time in the estate park, reflecting on my life and what to do next.
     

126. 
     

127. Pausing.
     

128. 
     

129. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I got many of my songs' verses and choruses there. It's also there that I thought about treating my monthly travel as work.
     

130. 
     

131. EXT. PARK - DAY
     

132. 
     

133. Peter jogs.
     

134. 
     

135. PETER (V.O.): I'm doing better and better. When I travel, I don't do any exercise. I'm hungry now.
     

136. 
     

137. FLASHBACK
     

138. 
     

139. INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY
     

140. 
     

141. Peter is unpeeling a reddish-purple skin potato, as KAJI, his pet, watches earnestly. He th

en puts the off-white to cream-coloured flash into his mouth, separating a tiny bit for his pet.

1. 
   

2. END FLASHBACK
   

3. 
   

4. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, my Monday blues have come and gone!
   

5. 
   

6. FADE OUT.
   

7. 
   

8. THE END.