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Not One Less

Writer's picture: Peter K F Cheung SBSPeter K F Cheung SBS
  1. FADE IN.


  2. Act 1


  3. INT. STUDY - NIGHT


  4. Staring at his computer screen, PETER types.


  5. PETER (V.O.): It seems there's a problem with keys, S, F and E.


  6. Pausing.


  7. PETER (V.O.): Yes, I've spilt cake bits, and even water, on the keyboard recently. Let me clean it.


  8. Turing off his laptop and unplugging it from the charger, Peter turns the laptop upside-down with the screen open and the keyboard facing downward. He then shakes his laptop and sees debris coming out from the keyboard on the screen.


  9. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, debris are hidden under the keys.


  10. Peter restarts his laptop and types on the keyboard.


  11. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): They respond better than before. But letters aren't appearing readily. Let me clean the keys thoroughly tomorrow.


  12. Act 2


  13. INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY


  14. Peter's MAID is doing vacuum cleaning of the place.


  15. PETER : Let me use it for a while.


  16. Peter uses the vacuum cleaner to suck debris from his laptop key boards.


  17. PETER (V.O.): The keyboards should be exceptionally clean now.


  18. Switching on his laptop, Peter begins to type and looks shocked.


  19. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): OMG, more keys seem to have gone crazy.


  20. Peter looks frustrated.


  21. PETER (V.O.)(Coint'd): Since my official retirement, I've been using this laptop for over 6 years. It has always been OK. Don't I know the saying: If it ain't broke, don't fix it!


  22. Using a fine brush and a hair dryer, Peter is cleaning the keys from all angles, carefully. Later, he turns on his laptop and types on each key. We see on the screen a long string of ddddddddddddd...


  23. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The key D has become sticky and my cleaning has backfired. That's bad. What seems good is that part from it, the other keys are normal now.


  24. Peter pops out the key D to check.


  25. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): It's very clean. So it's a hardware problem.

  26. Pausing.


  27. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I can't have one letter less in my laptop. As it's a hardware problem, I need a spare part. I've to take it to a repairer.


  28. INT. VAIO SERVICE CENTRE - DAY


  29. STAFF#1 (20s) is serving Peter. After seeking support from his colleague and from others behind the scene, staff#1 passes the laptop back to Peter.


  30. STAFF#1: Sorry, your model isn't covered in our portfolio.


  31. Having checked his phone, Peter show staff#1 a photo.


  32. PETER: Aren't you the authorized repair service provider of VAIO computers?


  33. The staff looks embarrassed.

  34. STAFF#1: But not for your model.


  35. Peter leaves.


  36. PETER (V.O.): If I can't have it repaired by the authorized one, I've to try the unauthorized ones.


  37. EXT. ROAD - DAY


  38. Peter is talking to someone over the phone.


  39. PETER (To phone): I've to replace the whole keyboard? It's attached to my laptop. Yes, I get it, thank you.


  40. INT. APPLE STORE - DAY


  41. Peter is trying Apple products.


  42. PETER (V.O.): I've been using iPhones, iPads and iPad Minis. But I haven't used its other products for word processing.


  43. Pausing.


  44. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): My concern is whether I can use it right away. I don't want to waste any day not capturing value.


  45. Pausing.


  46. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): I'll buy a computer of other brands then.


  47. INT. ELECTRONICS MALL - DAY


  48. Seeing a sign and a counter about computer repair, Peter checks it out with STAFF#2 (30s).


  49. STAFF#2: You've to replace the whole keyboard, and not just one key.


  50. STAFF#3 (20s) intervenes.


  51. STAFF#3 : You can use a wireless keyboard as a substitute.


  52. PETER (V.O.): I haven't thought about such a solution option. Yes, it's a stop-gap measure. I want to add value everyday - not one less. It's already late in the day and I've got so many things undone.


  53. Act 3


  54. EXT. ROAD - DAY


  55. Carrying a packet with a computer keyboard device on the outside, Peter walks happily.


  56. PETER (V.O.): All that effort made haven't been wasted. I've got a quick and inexpensive solution to the technical keyboard problem.


  57. Pausing.


  58. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Having used my laptop for over six years, it's still OK apart from the non-functioning key now. I don't want to retire my laptop with just one key less.


  59. Pausing.


  60. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): And I feel uncomfortable if my creative routine is disrupted even for a day.


  61. INT. STUDY - NIGHT


  62. Peter is working behind his laptop with a new keyboard on top of it.


  63. PETER (V.O.): I've succeeded in interfacing the new wireless keyboard with my old laptop. It's fortunate that in downloading a software, I didn't have to type the Key D!


  64. Peter types on the two keyboards intermittently.


  65. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Interesting. They aren't mutually exclusive. I can use either at the same time.


  66. Peter surfs the web.


  67. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): A mechanical computer keyboard should be good for 50 million presses.


  68. Reflecting.


  69. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): I shouldn't be careless in treating my laptop keyboard. I need all the keys functioning - not one less.


  70. FADE OUT.


  71. THE END


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