The Small Aircraft Boy
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Nov 2
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. BEDROOM - 09:30
Sunlight filters through the curtains. casting soft patterns on the wall. Sitting up in bed, PETER scrolls through the Facebook feeds.
PETER (V.O.): Today is the day my delivery arrives: the cheapest phone I've ever bought, priced at HK$649.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The 2025 phone's design and colour are visually appealing. Days ago, I causually asked my brothers' thoughts on its specifications and their surprise only fueled my impulse to buy.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Could something so inexpensive really meet my needs?
Then, he gets a phone message.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): No one answered the door? Already left the parcel with the caretaker at the lobby?
Looking frustrated, Peter grabs the door key and leaves.
Act 2
INT. HALLWAY - LIFT - CONTINUOUS
Peter steps out of his flat. He sees NEIGHBOUR#1 (60s) waiting for the lift.
NEIGHBOUR#1: Going down?
PETER: Yes, to get a parcel from the caretaker. Going to your moring tea?
Neighbour#2 nods. The lift dings. The doors slide open. They step in. The doors close. The lift begins to descend.
NEIGHBOUR#1: Yes...It's great that your son decided to pursue his career in Hong Kong rather than in Australia.
Nodding, Peter looks a little puzzled.
PETER (V.O.): Our new neighbour moved in while my son was doing his internship in Sydney. They must have introduced themselves while waiting for the lift.
The lift dings.
INT. LOBBY - CONTINUOUS
Spacious. NEIGHBOUR#2 (70s) sits in the sofa area with a walking stick by his side. He greets Peter.
PETER: Morning...
Peter rushes to the desk of the CARETAKER, who is dealing with a small cardboard box.
PETER: The curier has just informed me that he has delivered the parcel to you instead.
CARETAKER: Yes, he has just left...For you.
Aftert claiming the parcel, Peter is relieved and turns to Neighbour#2.
PETER (V.O.): Our last conversation in the elevator was too brief for him to share more.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): He and his wife watched my children grow up.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): His wife always called my younger son "the small aircraft boy."
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When he was four, five years old, he'd never walk. Always running through the lobby, arms stretched out like wings.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): He got his private pilot's licence before returning to Hong Kong.
Placing his parcel on a coffee table, Peter sits across Neighour#2.
PETER: You're a chief mechanic, weren't you? On the cargo ships.
Neighbour#2's eyes light up.
NEIGHBOUR#2: For decades. All over the world. The engine room was my kingdom.
PETER: How did you maintain the ships remain seaworthy all the time?
NEIGHBOUR#2: Some issues could be temporarily fixed through welding.
PETER: Tell me more.
Peter listens, captivated.
PETER (V.O.): My Dad was a newspaper photograher who later became an iron foundry welder.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Unlike photography, my Dad never talked about welding much. Just that it was hot, dirty work.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Understanding my parents' lives can be a lifelong process.
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM - 22:45
Peter uploads an image of what "the small aircraft boy" has transformed onto a draft on his laptop.
PETER (V.O.): The most accurate prophecies aren't found in crystal balls, but in the nicknames given by observant neighbours. "The small aircraft boy" wasn't a label; it's a diagnosis of destiny.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Childhood isn't just a phase to outgrow; it's the foundation of life. The small aircarft boy didn't vanish, he just taxied to the runway.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Genius isn't always in the complex equation. Sometimes, it's in the simple, perfect accuracy of a name: the small aircraft boy.
FADE OUT
END
Comments