What the Salesman Didn't Know
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- May 10
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. DINING ROOM - 19:00 (Last Night)
Warm lamplight. The MAID sets two places at a table. PETER turns to his WIFE.
PETER: Only two?
WIFE: Our son is on shift. He'll come back tomorrow morning.
Peter takes his seat.
PETER: The test drive is at 2pm tomorrow.
WIFE: He knows that.
PETER: 36 hours. And then a test drive of a 600 plus horse power car we never drove.
WIFE: Hope he could have a powerful nap before that.
Peter stares at an empty chair.
Act 2
FLASHBACK
INT. BYD SERVICE CENTRE, HA TSUEN - 15:15 (25 March 2026)
Peter and his wife are staring at a black Sea Lion 7 on the showroom floor.
WIFE: Same model. Only a few of the most expensive ones are still available.
PETER: That means we'll get more tax concessions...
WIFE: I prefer white...
PETER (V.O.): In 2000, she had the same preference when I bought the silver Previa.
PETER: Yes, it's safer to drive a white car at night.
Later, at a coffee table, Peter and his wife are talking to a SALESMAN.
WIFE. You still have white ones right? How about a test drive?
SALESMAN: No way. I can't even gurantee to secure a white one for you unless you pay now.
After signing on papers, Peter's wife issues a cheque. The saleman's busy with his phone, reporting the purchase urgently.
SALESMAN (Cont'd): Yes, a white one to beat the tax concession deadlne...I can arrange a test drive for you weeks later.
END FLASHBACK
EXT. BYD SHOWROOM, CAUSEWAY BAY - 14:30
The salesman, Peter, his wife and their SON stand beside a grey Sea Lion 7 parked by the roadside.
PETER: Let our son drive first.
The salesman stares at their son with clear suspicion.
SALESMAN: Is he the right age for this? Does he have a full driving licence?
PETER: He drives to work everyday.
Then, the salesman takes the front passenger seat, their son is in the driver's seat. Peter and his wife in the back.
PETER (V.O.): The salesman saw a tired young man. He didn't see the doctor who keeps people alive for a living.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): He'd be embarrassed if he knew our son has a private flying licence.
Following the saleman's direction, their son nods and drives off.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I'm doing a quiet experiment. Let the salesman assume. Then watch.
His son's test drive is uneventful.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Sometimes, the most qualified person looks like the least likely. That's the whole point of watching.
Later, at a quiet area at Central, Peter's wife swaps seats with son. She drives calmly and competently.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A test drive tests the car. A test of character tests what people ask and what they don't.
Later, Peter drives the SUV into a car park steadfastly.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): What I didn't say was more interesting than what the salesman didn't know.
Later, they get off.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): One can sell a car without providing a test drive. But one can't understand a person without looking twice.
They part.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Assumption is the seatbelt that never clicks.
Peter takes another look of the salesman.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Our Eunos 30X was scrapped. But the salesman's first impression? That stayed.
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM - 22:15
Peter uploads an image to a draft on his laptop. It shows the rear view of a black BYD Sealion SUV in a Causeway showroom, featuring a distinctive full-width illuminated LED taillight with a honeycomb pattern glowing in red.
PETER (V.O.): Our "fear of missing out" makes us scrap a vintage Eunos 30X that was still in its original paint and buy an electric SUV we'd never experienced.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): People judge competence by appearance and exhaustion, not credentials.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The test drive isn't just about the car, It's about the family's personal dynamics -our son's stamina post-36-hour shift, my wife's calm competence and my desire to feel raw power.
The END
FADE OUT
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