The Gift of Time

1. FADE IN

2. 
   

3. Act 1

4. 
   

5. INT. LIVING ROOM - 00:30

6. 
   

7. Returning from his studio, PETER hears his WIFE greeting him.

8. 
   

9. WIFE: Happy Birthday!

10. 
    

11. PETER: Thanks. I've turned 70.
    

12. 
    

13. INT. BEDROOM - 07:00

14. 
    

15. Peter stirs, half-awake.

16. 
    

17. PETER (V.O): I've dreamt that I was organizing a party...and playing music...

18. 
    

19. Recalling.
    

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): But the warm staff and guests were strangers to me...I couldn't make sense of the situation...

22. 
    

23. Peter closes his eyes, smiling a little.

24. 
    

25. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I'm not senile yet...

26. 
    

27. Act 2

28. 
    

29. INT. BEDROOM - 09:45

30. 
    

31. Waking up, Peter checks the time.

32. 
    

33. PETER (V.O): Today's a public holiday in Hong Kong.

34. 
    

35. Rubbing his eyes.

36. 
    

37. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Not because of me. It's Buddha's birthday.

38. 
    

39. Pausing.

40. 
    

41. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I believe in Buddha's message of peace, compassion and love of all living things.

42. 
    

43. Grabbing his mobile, Peter checks notifications.

44. 
    

45. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Oh, a birthday greeting from my sister.
    

46. 
    

47. Pausing.

48. 
    

49. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I only know my siblings' years of birth.

50. 
    

51. Then, Peter reads more birthday greetings.

52. 
    

53. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): About 10 years ago, I stated in my WhatsApp profile that "60 is another beginning of 30".

54. 
    

55. Thinking.

56. 
    

57. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I'd better update it.

58. 
    

59. We see Peter changing the line to "70 is another beginning of 35".

60. 
    

61. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): In 1989, I was 35 - a Senior Crown Counsel in the Attorney General's Chambers.

62. 
    

63. Recalling.

64. 
    

65. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): My elder son was conceived and born...

66. 
    

67. Peter then responds to the happy birthday greetings.

68. 
    

69. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I thank all heartily for giving me the attention and their time.

70. 
    

71. MONTAGE OF PETER'S HAPPY BIRTHDAY

72. 
    

73. A. Morning. Peter practises Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, French, Japanese and Korean.

74. 
    

75. B. Afternoon. Peter drives his wife and the family pet to their NT home, storing a few guitars and dumping a few files.

76. 
    

77. C. Night. Peter, his wife, elder SON and DAUGHTER-IN-LAW are having dinner in a restaurant.

78. 
    

79. END MONTAGE

80. 
    

81. EXT. CAR PARK - 22:15

82. 
    

83. Coming out with a mobile in hand, Peter looks pleased.

84. 
    

85. PETER (V.O): I mislaid one mobile in the car a few hours ago.

86. 
    

87. Checking mobile.

88. 
    

89. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I don't want to respond to my birthday greetings untimely.

90. 
    

91. Pausing.

92. 
    

93. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I take "birthday" as an excuse to celebrate for no real reason.

94. 
    

95. Thinking.

96. 
    

97. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): But not all can live to the age of 70.

98. 
    

99. Pausing.

100. 
     

101. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Poet Dou Fu (杜甫)) has a famous line "...For a person to live to 70 is rare...(人生七十古來稀). He himself died at the age of 58.
     

102. 
     

103. Act 3

104. 
     

105. INT. LIVING ROOM - 22:45

106. 
     

107. Peter inserts an AI drawing entitled "The Gift of Time" to a draft.

108. 
     

109. PETER (V.O): Reaching the age of 70 is a milestone and a privilege.

110. 
     

111. Thinking.

112. 
     

113. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I cherish the time I've and make the most of it.

114. 
     

115. Reflecting.

116. 
     

117. PETER (V.O): I won't be able to love the moments I've in life, if I wasn't born.

118. 
     

119. FADE OUT

120. 
     

121. THE END