Save the Car
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Nov 4, 2020
- 3 min read
FADE IN.
Act 1
INT. STUDY - DAY
The TV is on, reporting US Election news. PETER is thinking.
PETER: (V.O.): I've waited for over a month for today.
Pausing.
PETER: (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've also strategized how to execute my action plan.
Phone rings. Peter takes the call.
SOMEONE (From phone): Mr Cheung, your car's problems have been fixed. It's ready for collection now.
PETER (To phone): Thank you! I'll come at 3:30pm, as I said yesterday.
Pausing.
PETER: (V.O.) (Cont'd): Good, I can take the repaired car direct to the car-testing centre at 4:00pm.
Act 2
FLASHBACK
INT. CAR TESTING CENTRE - LAST SEPTEMBER
Talking to Peter, MECHANIC#1 passes to Peter a paper report.
MECHANIC: Your car failed the test. Here're the particulars of the defects.
PETER (V.O.): I didn't spot any problem. I seldom drive it. Anyway, I'm no mechanic.
INT. CAR REPAIRER - LATER THAT DAY
Getting out of his car, Peter passes MECHANIC#2 the paper report.
PETER: Please fix those car defects. Can I get back the car in a few days?
MECHANIC#2: Let me examine it and come back to you.
INT. STUDY - LATER
Phone rings. Peter takes the call.
MECHANIC#2 (From phone): Mr Cheung, we've not been able to find spare parts of the brake pumps of your old car in Hong Kong.
PETER (To phone) : Not even from the manufacturer's agent here?
MECHANIC#2 (From phone): No, but the spare parts are still available in Japan. Shipping will take about a month.
PETER (To phone): Hmm...
MECHANIC#2 (From phone): There's also the risk that just replacing the brake pumps might not solve the braking problem.
PETER (To phone): OMG, I might have to scrap it. It's already 25 years old. Let me think.
The phone conversations end.
PETER (V.O.): I've to let go of my cars in any event. Perhaps, now's the right time to let go one...
Phone in hand, Peter surfs the web about car scrapping in Hong Kong. He then makes a call.
PETER (To phone):... In scrapping my car, do I have to drive it to your place?
SOMEONE (From phone): Not necessarily. We can come to collect it.
PETER (V.O.): That's good service.
SOMEONE (Cont'd) (From phone): But we may not accept your car. Send us the photos of your car first.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That's strange. Does the look of an imminent scrap matter? I see.
PETER (To phone): Oh, I don't want my car to be exported somewhere!
Hanging up, Peter is in thoughts.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It can be a business model to buy old cars at scrap value and to resell them as vintage cars somewhere.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My 25-year old Eunos 30X 1.8 still holds the world record as having the smallest displacement V6 engine.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As its brake pumps spare parts are still available in Japan, I should take the financial risk to see if they could fix the braking system.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): If I didn't try it, I'd never know that result and would regret it.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Yes, I should endeavour to save the car, although I might be throwing some good money and waiting for nothing after all.
RETURN TO PRESENT
Act 3
INT. CAR REPAIRER - AFTERNOON
Having a look of the replaced parts, Peter pays and drives away the car.
INT. CAR TESTING CENTRE - LATER IN THE DAY
.
Inside a waiting room, Peter observes from a window how his car is being examined.
PETER (V.O.): Wow, the mechanic tests the car vigorously. I've never accelerated or braked like that.
A beat.
A RECEPTIONIST calls: 1333!
Peter responds swiftly to get the papers from him and read them.
IPETER (V.O.): Passed. Not unexpected though. Effort and money have been spent to make it happen.
EXT. ROADS - CAR PARK - EVENING
Driving very carefully among heavy traffic, Peter's car enters a car park.
PETER (V.O.): Tomorrow, I've already reserved a timeslot with the Transport Department to renew the car's licence. That's the easy part.
INT. STUDY - NIGHT
The TV is on, reporting US Election news. PETER is smiling.
.PETER (V.O.): I'm so pleased that I've saved the car - at least for now.
FADE OUT.
THE END
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