The Hello
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
EXT. GOLDEN BAY - 15:30
Calm. GROUPS dot the sand. SOME at water's edge, PETER drops his red swim bag on the sand. He adjusts his black goggles, the elastic snapping against his silver hair. He wades in.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The water is warm.
He launches himself forward, a smooth breaststroke. He swims steadily towards the outer limits of the swimming area, marked by a string of orange buoys.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The water there should be cool and clear.
Reaching the first buoy, he flips onto his stomach. Freestyle. His stroke is long and efficient.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's safe to swim along the buoy line.
At the far corner, he pauses, treading water. He looks back at the shore. He turns onto his back. Backstroke. His eyes on the sky. After a while, he stops. He floats. Arms outstretched.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Next, I'll swim butterfly. It's tiring.
Then his arms wheel over the water. His legs do dophin kicks.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I'm not fast, but I'm relentless.
Act 2
EXT. GOLDEN BEACH - CONTINUOUS
As he emerges from the water, we hear a woman in a group saying "Hello!".
PETER: Is she talking to me? There is only me in front of her.
Peter pulls the goggles down from his eyes.
WOMAN#1 (a little louder and warmer): Hello!
Peter is stunned. He manages a smile and raises a hand.
PETER: Hello!
WOMEN#2-3 giggle. They nudge Woman#1. Peter can't help but grin.
PETER (V.O.): It makes my day.
As he walks away, he glances back.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I think she has been watching me swim.
INT. BEACH BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS
Peter stands at a showerhead, letting the cold water run over his body. He rubs his arms, washing off the salt. A memory surfaces.
FLASHBACK
EXT. PATROL FILLING STATION - 14:45 (Earlier)
WOMAN#4 is feuling up Peter's tiny numeric blue SMART car. WOMAN#5 approaches him, holding a sleek,handheld modern fan.
WOMAN#5: Handsome man! Do you want this high-tech gadget?
PETER (V.O.): "Handsome man" is just a sales tactic...
WOMAN#4: He just got points to redeem a few boxes of tissues...
WOMAN#5 shows no interest of the handsome man anymore.
END FLASHBACK
Peter turns off the shower. Another memory surfaces.
INT. HUNG SHUI KIU CINEMA - DAY (1963)
The James Bond film: Dr No is being shown on screen. We follow Peter (9) to watch the iconic scene: The crystal clear water. The coral reef. And then Honey Ryder (Usula Andress) emerges from the water, in a white bikini, as James Bond (Sean Connery) watches from the shore.
PETER (V.O.): Highly unlikely, What is she doing there? Just casually appearing in a bikini?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's pure fantasy. It appeals to every male, but it's not real.
Pausing.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've learned long enough to know the universal truth: If something is too good to be true, it usually is.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): From Woman#1's perspective, what did she see?
SEQUENCE OF PETER'S IMAGINATION OF WOMAN#1'S VISION
A. She sees Peter's different strokes from a distance.
B. She adores a man who is strong, determined and alive.
C. She is nudged by Women#2-3 when they realise Peter is an old man.
END SEQUENCE
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM -22:15
Peter uploads an image to a draft on his laptop. It shows a small group standing near the water's edge on the right, with one woman saying the hello to Peter earlier.
PETER (V.O.): Some of life's most beautiful moments defy logic. They don't need to be explained. They just need to be cherished.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Meaning isn't found in grand gestures-it's found in a single, unexpected "hello" that makes I feel alive again.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I'm never too old to be seen, never too wise to be surprised, and never too cynical to be moved by something as simple as a greeting.
The END
FADE OUT
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