The Foshan Beat
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- 11 hours ago
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. BEDROOM - 6:30
In bed, PETER's eyes snap open. He stares at the ceiling instantly, fully awake.
PETER (V.O.): No. That's not right.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The tension from last night still lingers.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Let me distract myself discreetly by maintaining my Duolingo streaks.
Grabbing his smartphone and tapping the Duolingo app, Peter begins to practise Korean.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When I'm exhausted, I might drift off to sleep again.
Later, Peter falls asleep again.
Act 2
MONTAGE OF WHAT HAPPENS AFTERWARDS
A. Home, noon. Peter eats a Zhao Qing Steamed Rice Dumpling slowly, savoring every sticky bite.
B. Golden Bay, afternoon. Peter floats on his back, looking at the sky, utterly at peace.
C. Peter's NT home, later. After pulling out the SMART car, Peter parks his Nissan there.
END MONTAGE
INT. PENTHOUSE - 17:30
Peter's eyes drift across the room to a corner where a set of electric drums sits. A memory flashes.
INT. TOURIST ATTRACTION, FOSHAN - DAY (21 Oct, 2025)
A section dedicated to Chinese Kung Fu. Peter's eyes are locked on two lion dance drums.
PETER (V.O.): I can't resist the temptation to play them.
Peter approaches the drums and picks up the sticks.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): They aren't light.
Peter takes a deep breath.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've to draw on a lifetime of rhythm buried deep within me.
As Peter plays, we hear Ta-Ta-Thum-Thum-Thum, Thum-Thum-Ta-Thum-Thum, Thum-Thum-Thum-Thum, Thum-Thum-Thum-Thum...
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's not perfect, but it's good.
An almost boyish smile spreads across Peter's face.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Since my primary school days, I've admired drummers performing on lion dance drums. Until now, I never had the right opportunity to try it myself.
After playing to his heart's content, Peter captures photos of the drums.
RETURN TO PRESENT
Peter is staring at the electric drum kit. He walks over, sits on the stool, and picks up the sticks.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The sticks feel foreign, yet familiar.
Peter begins to play.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In 1970, while I was in a band singing and playing electric guitar, I also had access to a set of drum kits.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When I became a civil servant in 1974, I rewarded myself by buying a set of sparkling white drum kits that costed more than my monthly salary.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): During that time, I played a lot to cope with the tension of not being admitted to HKU after two attempts.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When Sharon and I bought this house in 1983, I brought all my musical instruments, including the drum kit, here.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But playing the conventional drum kit here was very noisy.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When electric drum kits were available, I bought this set for my elder son and me.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Whenever we spent the Saturday nights here, we'd play.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But those were the days, as we haven't spent a night here for over 10 years.
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM -22:30
Peter uploads an image, depicting the Chinese lion dance drums at an exhibition corner to a draft on his laptop.
PETER (V.O.): I've a beat waiting for me. It's that forgotten interest, that dusty dream. It seeks no perfection; it simply asks me to pick up the sticks again and recall the resonance.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The Foshan Beat is the rhythm that exists in the space between memory and the present moment. It's the sound of a past passion being returned by a new aspiration.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's not a melody I hum; it's a rhythm I inhabit. The Foshan Beat is the courage to make a noise that is authentically my own, no matter how long it's been silent.
FADE OUT
END
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