The Full Meter
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Aug 20
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. BEDROOM - 07:45
Dimly lit. PETER gets up, noticing his WIFE has just fallen asleep.
PETER (V.O.): She's like an owl, but I'm not.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): While travelling in Japan from late July and early August, she explored every toy capsule shop she could find.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): One intriguing toy capsule she collected was a miniature car light indicator. I wouldn't be surprised if there'll be miniature fuel gauge too.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): While a gauge tells me what is, a meter measures.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A meter tallies up what's been used and tells me the cost.
Act 2
INT. PETER'S NT HOME - 14:00
Living room. Peter gazes at a large photo of Sharon displayed on a shelf.
PETER (V.O.): Hi Darling, I'm back. Thirty-three...
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I can't believe it.
Peter tunes into a classical music internet channel and connects it to a pair of Bluetooth speakers.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Sharon loved to hear it.
A small, sad smile touches his lips.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Let me get back to repairing the peeling wallpaper.
He then scans the dining room, setting on sections of wall and ceiling where the paper has peeled.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The problem isn't new. I've fixed it before.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It isn't an easy task and can be exhausting.
Peter is on a step stool, carefully applying paste to the back of a strip of wallpaper.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Smoothing the wallpaper into place is always a challenge.
Once that's done, Peter wipes away the excess glue with a damp cloth.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I need a break before tackling the peeling roof paper.
His gaze shifts to the Clavinova facing the shelf.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Let me play "A Summer Place," the piece I asked Sharon to play for me when we fell in love in 1974.
Peter plays the piece with a touch of amateur enthusiasm.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I feel that Sharon is pleased with my performance.
EXT. DRIVEWAY - 16:30
Peter starts his SMART car, which only roars to life on the second attempt after he presses down on the accelerator.
PETER (V.O.): Any problem? The scent of patrol is overpowering.
Peter checks the fuel gauge.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, it's very low...Everytime I return, I just run the engine without actually driving it.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's better to drive it to the patrol station now rather than to hire a tow truck to take it there.
EXT. PATROL STATION - CONTINUOUS
Upon arriving, Peter smiles.
PETER (V.O.): The miracle isn't the full meter itself, but the stubborn human will to pull into the station just in time.
A STAFF serves Peter.
PETER: Full tank please.
After refueling, Peter looks at the gauge and sees it completely full.
PETER (V.O.): I topped up the tank. If only I could siphon just a little of that fuel back into the years I had with Sharon.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Grief is learning to navigate by a map of memories when the fuel gauge of hope is permanently on empty.
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM - 21:30
Peter uploads an image of his SMART car to a draft on his laptop.
PETER (V.O.): I keep the living room with music to distract from the silence of my heart. The tank is the easiest thing to fill.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I can always fill a tank. I can never fill a void, I can only maintain a life around its edges.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I spend my life trying to fill various meters - for success, for wealth, for time. The only one that truly matters has no gauge at all.
FADE OUT
END
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