The Crow's Law
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. BEDROOM - 09:45
Sitting up in bed, PETER scrolls Facebook. He pauses at a post in black, with just the phrase "The Crow's Law".
PETER (V.O.): What is it?
He surfs the web to investigate.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The Crow's Law states that when a bird is disliked by the forest for its harsh voice, it blames the trees. It flies from branch to branch, expecting a different reception, entirely deaf to its own voice.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Too cynical.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Why would one blame one's environment when the source of one's conflict is internal?
Reading.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): To understand the Crow's Law, one has to look at the bitter intersection of human psychology and eg estate planning.
Act 2
INT. PETER'S TIN SUM HOME - 16:45
Very cluttered. Peter, a BROTHER and a SISTER work together.
PETER (V.O.): Our Dad died over 10 years ago. Our Mom now lives in an elderly home.
They collect obvious trash.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In the early 1960s, they bought the land. Now our Mum is the sole owner.
They clear flat surfaces.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I'll be the executor of her will. And I note that all her estate will be shared equally among her children.
They focus on one zone.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My job will require no thought, no empathy and no context.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): If my Mom opted for equity, which is justice, she might give to each according to his/ her unique circumstances, vulnerabilities and history.
INT. PETER'S NT HOME - 19:35
Bathroom. Peter is having a shower.
PETER (V.O.): Sharon and I bought our first home here in 1983. To travel to the urban area is still time-consuming.
Bathing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In 1985, we bought our second home on Hong Kong island. With a MTR station nearby, we didn't have to drive to work.
EXT. TOLO HIGHWAY - 20:15
Peter is driving his 1989 red S13 at 100km/h.
PETER (V.O.): In 1989, I remortgaged our second home to buy this coupe. Sharon drove it a few times.
Driving.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In 1991, I got the idea to buy our third home on the Kowloon side, and that's where I'm heading to.
Sighing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Then came 1992. Sharon died of stomach cancer. She was only 36.
Sighing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Our only son was just two-year old. A toddler left completely motherless before he even had the vocabulary to understand what he had lost.
Driving.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Later, when I wanted to rebuild my family, my Mum sat me down.
FLASHBACK
INT. PETER'S TIN SUM HOME - DAY (1993)
Peter's MUM (63) looks at Peter (39) with the fierce, protective wisdom of her generation.
MUM: Your property on Hong Kong island must be given entirely to the son. It belongs to his mother's legacy. It's his shield against a world where he starts with a broken heart.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I agreed instantly. It was the only equitable verdict. It was justice.
Driving into a tunnel.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But the Crow's Law predicts a harsh truth: the ones who operate in absolute entitlement don't recognise equity.
Sighing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): They don't see a tragedy. They only see an empty space where they believe their asset should be.
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM -22:15
Peter uploads an image to a draft on his laptop. It shows a crow acting like a fixed observer while everything else looks in motion.
PETER (V.O.): When one is blinded on what one didn't get, one becomes unable to recognize to the sacrifice made to one what one has.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A child given branches to sit on would complain that another bird's branch is higher. A child given wings doesn't care about the tree-s/he owns the sky.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The law of equality is simple arithmetic. The law of equity is a moral ledger. Justice demands that I look at what was lost, not just what is left.
The END
FADE OUT
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