No Regret
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Jun 16, 2021
- 2 min read
FADE IN.
Act 1
INT. HOTEL ROOM - MORNING
Enters a wet-haired PETER.
PETER (V.O.): Here, the swimming pool opens at 9.am and not 6.am. I was the first guest visiting it.
Peter takes a bath.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Having swum, I'll have more my time to keep my wife company.
His WIFE is waking up.
PETER: Where would you like to have breakfast or brunch?
WIFE: There're many options in the vicinity. Let's do some research.
They begin researching with their phones.
PETER: Most 3-4 star restaurants open at noon.
They don't seem to have identified their choice.
Act 2
INT. HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
WIFE: See if there's a good movie to see.
Then, we see a TV channel showing The Time Traveller's Wife.
PETER (V.O.): The film's title is quite captivating. Let me check the plot so that I may follow it.
Peter and his wife continue their respective research.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The film sells the story of travelling from the present to the past and what has happened can't be changed.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Such a fantasy genre is popular as people like to escape from reality.
On the TV screen, we see the time traveller telling the results of a lottery draw and he has the ticket.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): How come there's an additional winner if the time traveller can't change anything?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Anyway, that's the fun-and-games part of Act 2. The screenplay writer wants to sell the story to the audience and make it stick.
Smiling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Who doesn't want such a lottery luck?
His wife finds something.
WIFE: The Chinese restaurant downstairs has a 4-star rating. As our special check-out time is at 2.pm, we can have brunch here.
PETER: Great! I love the choice that optimizes our staycation time!
While packing, Peter looks out of the window and sees two uniformed STUDENTS walking hand in hand in a pedestrian walkway by the sea.
PETER (V.O.): The sight reminds me of the 1971 film Melody Fair and the Bee Gees' song of the same name.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Is life really like a merry-go-round? If yes, we'd have missed a lot of other experience.
Peter captures an image of the students.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Look at them, how happy they're!
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When I was young, I daren't do that even if I had the opportunity.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's really terrifying how fast time flies by.
Peter takes a deep breath.
PETER (V.O.): Yes, you two had better hold onto life and move forward.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.): After all, it's better for one to regret on things one has done rather than the things one hasn't done.
INT. CHINESE RESTAURANT - NOON
The STAFF serve Peter and his wife dim-sums after dim-sums.
PETER (V.O.): They're our choices of heart.
Peter then shows to his wife a Google-Photos highlight, depicting their togetherness in the past.
PETER: I've no regret.
Act 3
INT. HOTEL ROOM - LATER
Pushing a small luggage, Peter and his wife are leaving.
PETER (V.O.): Although time is illusory, our finite existence is measured by the number of years of experience that we've enjoyed.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): If life is a journey, I've travelled 67 years so far.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.): During my life journey, things either happened to me or I've made them happen.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): They couldn't be undone, changed or forgotten.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): There're twists and turns, ups and downs. I've lived and loved with no regret.
FADE OUT.
THE END
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