What Would I've Become?

1. FADE IN.

2. 
   

3. Act 1

4. 
   

5. INT. SWIMMING POOL - DAY

6. 
   

7. Peter is enjoying the powerful jacuzzi from the pool wall.

8. 
   

9. PETER (V.O.): I'm still thinking about yesterday's encounter at the car repairer. The car repairer isn't inexpensive.

10. 
    

11. FLASHBACK

12. 
    

13. INT - CAR REPAIRER - DAY

14. 
    

15. PETER waits at the counter watching his silver coupe, as the BOSS (30s) directs a MECHANIC (40s).

16. 
    

17. BOSS: Change the rear left brake light bulb.

18. 
    

19. Following the instructions quickly, the mechanic detaches the rear light panel of the silver coupe.

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O.): He does that carefully and neatly. I don't think I can do that well.

22. 
    

23. In a cabinet nearby, the mechanic tries to find the right light bulb inside a drawer.

24. 
    

25. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): No spare light bulb that would suit mine?

26. 
    

27. The mechanic seeks help from the boss who selects the right one among 2 dozen types.

28. 
    

29. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Good, I don't have to wait.

30. 
    

31. Pausing.

32. 
    

33. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But the mechanic's knowledge is limited.

34. 
    

35. Pausing.

36. 
    

37. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): If I began my car repairing apprenticeship in 1967, what would I've become?

38. 
    

39. Act 2

40. 
    

41. INT. CAR REPAIRER - CONTINUOUS

42. 
    

43. Recalling.

44. 
    

45. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In the 1960s, I liked to play with a neighbour-friend who was several years older than me.

46. 
    

47. Recalling.

48. 
    

49. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): His father raised the family as a car mechanic. After primary schooling, their sons became his apprentices.

50. 
    

51. Recalling.

52. 
    

53. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Life was generally hard. Learning a vocational skill like car-repairing was a way to earn a living.

54. 
    

55. Recalling.

56. 
    

57. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I was 13 then. Due to the large-scale riots, my parents' factory jobs were uncertain.

58. 
    

59. Recalling.

60. 
    

61. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As the eldest son of a 8-member family, it was thought that I should begin my apprenticeship, having done my 1st year in a secondary school already.

62. 
    

63. Pausing.

64. 
    

65. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My monthly school fee $32 was expensive to my family. I was the last one in the class to pay it.

66. 
    

67. Recalling.

68. 
    

69. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I felt so embarrassed, as the top student in class then.

70. 
    

71. Recalling.

72. 
    

73. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In the final exam, a classmate beat me and I only got the second position.

74. 
    

75. Recalling.

76. 
    

77. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The significance was that while the one who got first didn't have to pay school fees for the next year, I still had to pay half ie $16.

78. 
    

79. Recalling.

80. 
    

81. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Anyhow, the tangible benefit became the tipping point that I should continue my studies.

82. 
    

83. Pausing.

84. 
    

85. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): But I did whatever I could to earn a few dollars eg doing private tuition and selling labour in nearby factories.

86. 
    

87. A CLERK (30s) returns to the counter to assist Peter.

88. 
    

89. CLERK: Mr Cheung, is it OK to pay $3000 for the deposit for ordering your car's other spare parts from Japan?

90. 
    

91. As he nods, Peter presents a smart bank card.

92. 
    

93. BOSS: You drive the car home first. We'll get in touch with you in due course.

94. 
    

95. EXT. ROAD - DAY

96. 
    

97. Driving away from the repairer, Peter sees a POLICE CONSTABLE booking a car parking nearby. He gestures to the mechanic about what's happening.

98. 
    

99. PETER (V.O.): Oh, he doesn't get it. He thinks I'm suggesting there's something wrong at the front of my car.

100. 
     

101. Pausing.

102. 
     

103. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): That's understandable. He's very customer-focus.

104. 
     

105. Peter gestures again.

106. 
     

107. PETER (V.O.): He's got it this time.

108. 
     

109. Peter lowers the car's passenger window.

110. 
     

111. MECHANIC: That car doesn't belong to our customers. Booking nearby has been pretty frequent these days.

113. PETER: Thank you again.

114. 
     

115. Peter drives off.

116. 
     

117. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): The other reason why I didn't discontinue my studies then was that my Dad wanted me to become a Police Inspector.

118. 
     

119. Recalling.

120. 
     

121. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): When I became a bit short-sighted in 1969, my Dad was very cross with me as I wouldn't satisfy a basic requirement of the Police Inspector.

122. 
     

123. Peter presses the accelerator.

124. 
     

125. END FLASHBACK

126. 
     

127. Act 3

128. 
     

129. INT. SWIMMING POOL - DAY

130. 
     

131. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): For a long time, I haven't bargained with the boss or his clerk. I just pay what they ask.

132. 
     

133. Pausing.

134. 
     

135. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The boss has created jobs for himself and at least three other staff.

136. 
     

137. Pausing.

138. 
     

139. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I contribute to their revenue streams. It's my own way of resource distribution.

140. 
     

141. Pausing.

142. 
     

143. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): If I became a car-repairing apprentice in 1967 with good eyesight, what would I've become? The boss or the mechanic?

144. 
     

145. Adjusting his myopia -6.5 goggles, Peter does a few butterfly strokes.

146. 
     

147. FADE OUT.

148. 
     

149. THE END