Still Here
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- May 16, 2025
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. LIVING ROOM - 09:00
Soft golden light spills over a cluttered desk. PETER sits on a sofa scrolling through birthday messages on his smartphone.
PETER (V.O.): Oh, thank you for the birthday wishes! Lovely to hear from all of you...
Peter expresses his gratitute in writing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Turning 71 feels special, and hearing from relatives and friends made my day even brighter!
Peter continues to type on screen.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My Dad and Mum brought me into this world today, 71 years ago, at Tung Wah Hospital.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Months ago, I traced my roots and visited the Hospital.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My first wife, Sharon, passed away in 1992, at the age of 36, and my Dad followed in 2011 at 79. My Mum and I are still here.
Act 2
INT. STUDY/STUDIO - 10:OO
Peter prepares for his Duolingo routine. He opens the app and selects Korean.
PETER (V.O.): My new wife and I are learning Korean alongside our elder daughter who did it at SNU.
Prastising Korean.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We're thrilled to hear yesterday that she got a job offer in Seoul, where her colleagues, like her, speak at least three languages: Korean, English and Chinese.
After studying Korean, Peter chooses Japanese and starts practising it.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In her final interview, she was also assessed in her Japanese language skills.
Smiling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It was her learning Japanese in Japan that brought her and her beloved together.
In addition to her elder daughter's birthday wishes, Peter also receives greetings from his son-in-law in Korean.
EXT. SILVERSTRAND BAY - 14:00
Striding into the water, Peter swims steadily, his breath rhythmic.
PETER (V.O.): I swim every day when I can, and the wishes come true.
Peter emerges, looking at the horizon.
INT. STUDY/STUDIO - 16:00
Boxes of old papers, books and memorabilia surround Peter.
PETER (V.O): I've already cleared out all my guitars, amplifiers, and the Clavinova.
Peter picks up a sheet containing simplified notes for the melody along with guitar chords.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I don't think I've made a MV for this song.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Taking the Beatles as an example, I believe composing songs on the keyboard adds depth and richness to the music.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Since COVID, I've been learning to play the keyboard.
INT. DINING ROOM - 20:45
As seafood is placed on the table. Peter opens a Kawai and starts to play "A Summer Place".
PETER (V.O): I haven't played in about 10 days, and I don't feel like I'm playing as well as I used to.
FLASHBACK
INT. IN FLIGHT - DAY (6 May 2025)
Peter is watching a documentary: Fuzjko Hemming: A Pianist of Silence & Solitude.
PETER (V.O): Wow, the pianist's fingers dance across the keyboard, even though she relies on a frame to walk.
Watching intensely.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I see. She practises playing the piano every day, even though she doesn't feel inclined to do so.
RETURN TO PRESENT
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): To do anything well, I need to practise every day.
Wondering.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): The paradox of time is this: the days feel long, yet the years fly by.
Act 3
INT. LIVING ROOM - 22:30
Peter inserts an AI drawing titled: "Still Here..." to a draft on his laptop.
PETER (V.O): I'm not where I was, but I'm not gone yet. That has to count for something.
His WIFE presents a joyful birthday cake to Peter.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): While some measure life in years, I measure it by the languages I learn, the bays I swim, the screenplays I write, and the songs I compose.
As KAJI, the family pet, joins them, Peter blows out the candles.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): At 71, my body may weaken, but my heart still sings the same tune it learned at 17.
FADE OUT
END
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