The Language of Life
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Nov 29, 2024
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. LIVING ROOM - 00:00
In tense posture, PETER and his WIFE focus on their mobiles, glancing at each other occasionally.
PETER: Our daughter's flight landed late in Incheon, at 11pm, Hong Kong time. Korean time is one hour ahead.
WIFE: Her plane has been waiting for an hour for a parking lot.
PETER: Having waited for the snowstorm to subside, 20 planes landed at more or less the same time.
They get a WhatsApp message.
WIFE: Her plane is now no. 10 in the queue.
PETER: It's likely that our daughter has to wait for another hour before she can alight the aircraft.
WIFE: Then, she has to pass through immigration controls, wait for the baggage and queue for a taxi...
PETER: I checked her flight status when her plane was in flight. And we've not stop communicating since she has got wifi again.
Act 2
INT. BEDROOM - 07:45
Waking up, Peter grabs his phone to check WhatsApp messages.
PETER (V.O): Collecting baggagge was a mess...waited for an hour for taxi...home at 3:30, Hong Kong time.
Sighing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): My loving wife kept on communicating with our daughter until she's home.
INT. LIVING ROOM - 08:00
Appearing, Peter sees his wife sleeping in a massage chair, and KAJI, our family pet, resting in her arms.
PETER (to Kaji): Don't move...I'll bring food to you.
INT. STUDY - 11:15
Finishing a Zoom meeting, Peter looks out of the window.
PETER (V.O): We transact businesses with due diligence.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): If I was wrong in my decision, it's my error of judgment and I take responsibility for that.
EXT. SILVERSTRAND BAY - 12:15
Blue sky. White capping. A red flag flying.
PETER (V.O): Health first. Always.
In a wet suit, Peter straps a green float around his waist and dives into the waters.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): If I hear a warning announcement, I'll return to the shore quick.
INT. DINING ROOM - 13:00
Dressed in a suit, Peter is having a bowl of soup noodles.
PETER (V.O): I've only got time for this. A professional meeting is coming up.
EXT. STREET - 17:15
Exiting a skyscraper, Peter is in thoughts.
PETER (V.O): I've played my due professional role, as always.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): But a high standard of justice is pretty costly to Hong Kong taxpayers.
INT. PHO LE - 18:15
Peter and his wife are having Vietnamese noodles in soup.
WIFE: Our daughter and our son-in-law had a tough time from last night till this early morning.
PETER: Yes, we've done our parts to support them, at least spiritually.
PETER (V.O): Their experience and our partnership are part of the language of life.
PETER (Cont'd): Your Korean class will begin in 30 minutes.
INT. STUDY/STUDIO - 19:30
Tapping the Duolingo App, we see and hear Peter practising Korean, Japanese, French, Italian, German, Spanish and Portuguese.
PETER (V.O.): I've maintained my streaks. Time to practise jazz piano.
Having sit before a piano and played a few chords, Peter hesitates.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I can't remember the chord sequence that I practised a lot yesterday.
Act 3
INT. LIVING ROOM - 22:30
Peter inserts an AI drawing entitled: "The Language of Life..." to a draft in his laptop.
PETER (V.O): Language can express thought, conceal thought and take the place of thought.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): The language of life is a way of understanding relationships, emotions and experiences.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): If one language sets me in the corridor of life, knowing even a little of multiple languages helps me open some of the doors along my way.
FADE OUT
THE END
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