The Window of Concession

1. Act 1

2. 
   

3. INT. LIVING ROOM - 10:15

4. 
   

5. Sunlight streams through. PETER is playing the piano. His WIFE appears, holding a manila envelope.

6. 
   

7. WIFE: I'm ready.

8. 
   

9. Peter stops playing.

10. 
    

11. PETER: Got the registration paper?

12. 
    

13. WIFE: Yes. Let's go.

14. 
    

15. PETER: Yes. The clock is ticking. Next Tuesday is the end.

16. 
    

17. INT. BYD SHOWROOM#1 - 11:00

18. 
    

19. Modern. Peter and his wife stand with SALES REP#1, a man in a sharp suit who looks pained.

20. 
    

21. SALE REP#1: So, you want to use the old car tax concession?

22. 
    

23. WIFE: That's right. We want to order a car, get the concession before it lapses.

24. 
    

25. Sales Rep#1 shakes his head slowly.

26. 
    

27. SALE REP#1: Today is Wednesday. The deadline is next Tuesday. To get the concession, the old car must be scrapped. You need the scraping certificate. You need the application. All submitted to the Licensing Authority.

28. 
    

29. WIFE: Can we do it?

30. 
    

31. SALE REP#1: The arrangements to scrap a car...they may take days. Finding a yard, transport, the paperwork. It's too risky. I don't want to take on this assignment. I can't guarantee you'll make the deadline.

32. 
    

33. They turn and walk out without another word.

34. 
    

35. Act 2

36. 
    

37. EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS

38. 
    

39. Peter's wife is already on her phone, scrolling. She dials. The phone connects.

40. 
    

41. WIFE (into phone): I want to buy a car and use the tax concession. I've a car to scrap.

42. 
    

43. A slow smile spreads across his wife's face.

44. 
    

45. WIFE (into phone) (Cont'd): You think I can do it? Good. We'll be in touch.

46. 
    

47. She hangs up.

48. 
    

49. PETER: We've to scrap the Enous 30x first...

50. 
    

51. He dials. The phone connects.

52. 
    

53. PETER (into phone): I want to scrap a car...

54. 
    

55. EXT. PETER'S NT HOME - 14:00

57. The Eunos 30x, dusty but with good bones, is parked. Peter and his wife arrive in a New Beetle.

58. 
    

59. PETER: We're not sending it off like that.

60. 
    

61. Peter washes the coupe. Then he and his wife take photos it from every angle. His wife then calls.

62. 
    

63. WIFE (into phone): We're about to take the old car to the scrapyard. We'll make the deposit right after. Can you hold a car for me?

64. 
    

65. Her expression changes from satisfied to serious.

66. 
    

67. WIFE (into phone) (Cont'd): Secure an allotment? There're only a few left?

68. 
    

69. Pausing.

70. 
    

71. WIFE (into phone) (Cont'd): I'll come to the Tin Shui Wai Service Centre then. You'll be there at around 3:30pm? Okay. See you soon.

72. 
    

73. INT. A LAKESIDE CAFE 15:00

74. 
    

75. Peter and his wife are having a quick meal.

76. 
    

77. WIFE: Sales Rep#2 says we should pay the initial deposit before we scrap the car. He says it'd be bad if we scrap the old car and then can't buy a new one.

78. 
    

79. PETER: He's right. We can't afford a misstep.

80. 
    

81. MONTAGE OF WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

82. 
    

83. A. BYD Service Centre, Tin Shui Wai - 15:30. Peter and his wife have casual looks of the electric vehicles on display. His wife pays the deposit.

84. 
    

85. B. Scrapyard, Kam Sheung Road - 17:10. Peter's wife pulls up in a New Beetle, Peter follows close behind in the Eunos 30x. Soon, a scraping certificate is issued.

86. 
    

87. END MONTAGE

89. INT. BYD Service Centre, Tin Shui Wai - 17:40.

90. 
    

91. Quieter now. At a desk, SALES REP#2 and Peter's wife work through the final documents. Peter observes. His wife writes a cheque for the balance.

92. 
    

93. SALES REP#2: With your cooperation...we managed to strike a deal in a single day. I'll submit the applicaion to the Licensing Authority tomorrow morning.

94. 
    

95. INT. BEDROOM - 22:15

96. 
    

97. Peter's phone buzzes. It's from the Management Office. Peter picks it up.

98. 
    

99. SEUCRITY (from phone): Mr Cheung, we wanted to inform you that you left your front gate wide open.

100. 
     

101. Act 3

102. 
     

103. INT. LIVING ROOM - 23:30

104. 
     

105. Peter uploads an image to a draft on his laptop. It's a view from inside of the Eunos 30x looking up through the open sunroof at a bright blue sky.

106. 
     

107. PETER (V.O.): From inside the coupe, the open sunroof frames a bright blue sky giving way to the edge of dusk, the driver's airbag warning a silent reminder that the window of concession is closing.

108. 
     

109. Thinking.

110. 
     

111. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We can't negotiate with a closing window. We can only act fast before it disappears.

112. 
     

113. Reflecting.

114. 
     

115. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We didn't want a new car. We wanted not to regret missing the window. That's a different kind of desire. It's just as powerful.

116. 
     

117. The END

118. 
     

119. FADE OUT