The Jazz of Disservice

1. FADE IN

2. 
   

3. Act 1

4. 
   

5. INT. LIVING ROOM - 11:00

6. 
   

7. PETER sits at the piano. A Pad2 is propped up on the music stand, displaying a paused YouTube tutorial: Beyond the Sea, La Mer, Jazz piano, chords and harmonization.

8. 
   

9. PETER (V.O.): I love the sea.

11. He taps the play button. We hear: instead of a straight II-V-I, try substituting the V with a tritone substitution...

12. 
    

13. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Interesting. But what's a tritone substitution?

14. 
    

15. We hear: It involves replacing the dominant 7th chord with another dominant 7th chord whose root is exactly a tritone (three whole steps) away...

16. 
    

17. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I can substitute a G7 chord with a Db7 chord.

18. 
    

19. We hear: Instead of playing the static G7 to Cmaj7, playing Db7 to Cmaj7 creates a smooth, decending half-step bass line.

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The online tutorial is so instructive.

22. 
    

23. After playing the familiar melody - La Mer - with jazz chords, Peter stretches his fingers. His eyes drift to the side table. A stack of mails sits unopened.

24. 
    

25. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Time to deal with the computer-generated stuff.

26. 
    

27.  Act 2

28. 
    

29. INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

30. 
    

31. Peter opens a bank letter. His eyes scan it.

32. 
    

33. PETER (V.O.): Payment: Immediate? Late charges?

34. 
    

35. His brow furrows.

36. 
    

37. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Early July. The tour fees. I used the bank's credit card as there's a small discount. I hadn't used it for a while-my other cards give me air miles.

38. 
    

39. Recalling.

40. 
    

41. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But a discount is a discount.And I've auto-pay. Always auto-pay. It's my system. My rhythm.

42. 
    

43. Peter is on the phone, speaker on.

44. 
    

45. PETER (to phone): ...I've a late charge on my statement. I've auto-pay.

46. 
    

47. AGENT1 (from phone): Your auto-pay has been deactivated...there hasn't been any transaction for a while.

48. 
    

49. PETER (to phone): I don't think I've been notified...

50. 
    

51. AGENT1 (from phone):... can waive the late charge...can reactivate your auto-pay...but the current balance must be settled via an alternative method.

52. 
    

53. PETER (to phone): Okay, I'll settle that right away.

54. 
    

55. Peter makes another call, keying the bank number and his credit card number.

56. 
    

57. RECORDED VOICE (from phone): This biller can't be registered.

58. 
    

59. The other side hangs up.

60. 
    

61. PETER (V.O.): Probably because I haven't used the system for a while.

62. 
    

63. He taps his fingers on the desk-a frustrated rhythm.

64. 
    

65. INT. BANK BRANCH - 15:15

66. 
    

67. The queue snakes around the velvet ropes. At least 15 PEOPLE. A wet-haired Peter queues at the end for a while. Then he turns and leaves.

68. 
    

69. PETER (V.O.): I've just done my daily swim and am hungry. I shouldn't give the bank the priority,

70. 
    

71. INT. BANK BRANCH - 16:15

72. 
    

73. The queue is down to four CUSTOMERS. Peter reappears, waits and settles the credit card balance in cash. As he walks out, his phone buzzes. A voice mail notification. He listens.

74. 
    

75. AGENT2 (from phone): Mr Cheung, we haven't received our updated particulars in writing, as requested in our letter. Failure to respond will affect our service to you. Please return call.

76. 
    

77.  PETER (V.O.): I tried to call that number three times yesterday. All busy.

78. 
    

79. INT. LIVING ROOM - 17:00

80. 
    

81. Peter re-reads the covering letter from the bank. It dated 10 July, 2026, requesting an updating reply in 14 days.

82. 
    

83. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Today is 24 July, 2026. The agent has started calling me from 22 July, 2026.

84. 
    

85. He checks the enclosed change of particulars forms.

86. 
    

87. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): They aren't updating forms. I don't have to put my signature to request the bank to change what haven't changed.

88. 
    

89. Pausing.

90. 
    

91. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Jazz is about listening. Banking is about transmitting. One makes music. The other makes noise.

92. 
    

93. Pausing.

94. 
    

95. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd):I have no particulars to change. But I update my relationship with the bank-to zero.

96. 
    

97. Pausing.

98. 
    

99. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's a case study on not thinking. On not working smart. On doing more to achieve less.

100. 
     

101. Act 3

102. 
     

103. INT. BEDROOM - 21:15

104. 
     

105. Peter uploads an image to a draft on his laptop. It shows a hand holding cash over a printed credit card statement.

106. 
     

107.  PETER (V.O.): The jazz of disservice is knowing all the right notes-but playing them in the wrong order, at the wrong time, and expect the audience to applaud anyway.

108. 
     

109. Thinking.

110. 
     

111. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Process without purpose is just theatre. The bank worries about its risk. I worry about my time. Only one of us is right.

112. 
     

113. Reflecting.

114. 
     

115. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): At 72, I've learned one thing: a bank can take my money, but it can't take my time-unless I let it.

116. 
     

117. The END

118. 
     

119. FADE OUT