What the Tax Form Doesn't Ask

1. FADE IN

2. 
   

3. Act 1

4. 
   

5. INT. LIVING ROOM - 08:30

6. 
   

7. Morning light. PETER sits alone at a desk. Stacks of receipts. A tax return form. A calculator. A pen.

8. 
   

9. PETER (V.O.): I've been filing tax returns for many many years.

10. 
    

11. He picks up a receipt. Examines it. Sets it down.

12. 
    

13. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Same boxes. Same columns. Same arithmetic. Rents. Pension. Profits. Deductions. Sign here. Date there. Send it off. Wait for next year.

14. 
    

15. Peter fills a few blanks on the form. Small motions.

16. 
    

17. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The year always comes. Whether I'm ready or not. The numbers go where they always go.

18. 
    

19. He sets the pen down.

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But this year, I feel the meaninglessness in continuing my business. The continuing being the poison.

22. 
    

23. He stands. Picks up the car key and leaves home with his WIFE.

24. 
    

25. Act 2

26. 
    

27. EXT - PUBLIC HOSPITAL - 11:05

28. 
    

29. Peter's wife steps out of the car.

30. 
    

31. PETER: WhatsApp me when you're done. I'll be at Deep Water Bay.

32. 
    

33. EXT. DEEP WATER BAY - 11: 30

34. 
    

35. Peter stands in water's edge. Swimsuit. Some BEACHGOERS. Sunbathing. He watches them.

36. 
    

37. PETER (V.O.): Some are in their 20s, 30s. or 40s. They lie on the sand like they've all the time in the world.

38. 
    

39. Pausing.

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41. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): They do. Or they think they do. Same thing at that age.

42. 
    

43. He wades into the water.

44. 
    

45. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I could only afford to do this after retirement. At 60 - 12 years ago.

46. 
    

47. Pausing.

48. 
    

49. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Before that my job was never done.

50. 
    

51. He swims. Slowly. Easily.

52. 
    

53. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Now, I swim daily in Hong Kong bays, unless there're thunderstorms or I'm doing my monthly travels.

54. 
    

55. Pausing.

56. 
    

57. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): However, I still work in retirement. But after my last court appearance, I started asking what is the goal for the work that I still do?

58. 
    

59. Later, he rests by his car. Checks his phone.

60. 
    

61. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My wife hasn't sent me any message...is everything okay with her?

62. 
    

63. He sends a message. Stands. Paces. Checks again. Nothing.

64. 
    

65. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I'm very worried.

66. 
    

67. Then, he sees a response: All good. Just running late. Pick me up in 20 minutes.

68. 
    

69. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): At 60, I thought retirement meant freedom from work. At 72, I know: retirement means freedom from waiting. From worrying.

70. 
    

71. Pausing.

72. 
    

73. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That's the real tax. Not the one the government collects. The one time collects. From everyone.

74. 
    

75. EXT. PUBLIC HOSPITAL - LATER

76. 
    

77. Peter picks up his wife. She gets in the car. Smiles.

78. 
    

79. WIFE: Told you. Routine.

80. 
    

81.  PETER: I still worry.

82. 
    

83. PETER (V.O.): Worrying isn't a disease. Worrying is a symptom. The disease is caring. And I still care. About her. About the days. About the ones we have left.

84. 
    

85. He drives home. Relaxed.

86. 
    

87. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The worry is gone. Gone for now. But it lives here. In every appointment we write on the calendar. The worry has a key.

88. 
    

89. INT. LIVING ROOM - 14: 45

90. 
    

91. Peter sits at the desk again. The tax return is still there. Half-finished. He looks at the receipts. At the calculator.

92. 
    

93. PETER (V.O.): What is a day worth when I've more money than days?

94. 
    

95. Pausing.

96. 
    

97. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Divide what I earned by the weeks. By the days. By the hours of lost sleep...

98. 
    

99. He pushes away the calculator.

100. 
     

101. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A day is worth nothing in money terms. Because I can't buy it back. I can only spend it. And I've been spending mine on matters that I don't want to do.

102. 
     

103. Act 3

104. 
     

105. INT. LIVING ROOM - 20:00

106. 
     

107. Peter uploads an image to a draft on his laptop. It shows a close-up of a green HKIRD envelope with a partially visible tax form that doesn't ask whether Peter is happy.

108. 
     

109. PETER (V.O.): The tax form asks for my income, my pension, my profits, my deductions and my signature. It never asks: How many days did you trade for this number? Was it a fair exchange?

110. 
     

111.  Thinking.

112. 
     

113. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It has no box for lost sleep. It doesn't ask: Are you still working for money that you don't need? And if so: Why?

114. 
     

115. Reflecting.

116. 
     

117. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): What the tax form doesn't ask: what did you lose that isn't deductible. It doesn't ask: How much is enough? And it certainly doesn't ask: How many healthy years do you have left?

118. 
     

119. The END

120. 
     

121. FADE OUT