Where It Wasn't
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Apr 16
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. LIVING ROOM - 10:30
On the table next to the main door sits a tray of car keys. Most are in pairs, except for a solitary Mercedes-Benz key.
PETER (V.O.): The last time I drove the Mercedes was to HKUST on March 31. I usually make it a habit to return the key to the tray after each use.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): However, I sometimes forget to put it back immediately, as I occasionally find the car key in my suit pocket.
Peter checks the tray again and sees that there's clearly only one Mercedes-Benz key.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've already searched all my suit pockets and still can't find the key.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The key in the tray might be the one I use. It was only when I didn't expect to drive the Mercedes to HKUST anymore that I realized the other key wasn't in the tray.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I wasn't keen to search for the key until two days ago when I lost and then found the key to my Eunos 30X.
Act 2
FLASHBACK
INT. BEDROOM - DAY (Two Days ago)
Peter is searching the pockets of his handbag.
PETER (V.O.): The key to the Eunos 30X isn't there?
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I drove it to the beach yesterday afternoon and locked the coupe with it.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I considered driving the Eunos when my wife and I went out to eat at night, so I didn't put the key back in the tray.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): However, my wife chose to drive her New Beetle, and I took her lift instead. Where could the key have gone?
Peter searches his handbag again.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It should be inside it, yet it isn't there.
Looking frustrated, Peter sees part of the key at the edge under the bed.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I didn't put the key there, and I don't know when it slipped out.
RETURN TO PRESENT
EXT. CARPARK - 15:00
After getting out of the Eunos 30X, Peter locks the coupe and places the key in his handbag pocket, where a tent card is tied to its belt.
PETER (V.O.): I'm certain that the car key is with me.
Peter walks towards a mall.
INT. YUMAI NOODLES -16:00
A WAITRESS clears Peter's table as he checks the belt of his handbag.
PETER (V.O.): OMG, where has my JoyYou card gone?
Panicking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When and where did I drop it?
Peter takes out his wallet from the handbag.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Let me pay in cash first and retrace my steps to search for my JoyYou card. Difficulties lie ahead.
As Peter stands up, he notices his detached JoyYou card falling from his trousers.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh dear, that saves me a lot of headaches!
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): On a Saturday about a fortnight ago, while I was busy withdrawing AUD from a HangSeng ATM, I received a message from an unknown caller.
Smiling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Out of curiosity, I listened to it and realized I had left my other iPhone in my seat during an earlier transaction at the Standard Charter Bank.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I ran back to the Bank and reclaimed my iPhone just before it closed at 1:00pm. I didn't panic because I hadn't even realised I had left it.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): However, I still have no idea where the other Mercedes key is.
Act 3
INT. LIVING ROOM - 22:30
Peter inserts an AI drawing titled: "Where it wasn't..." to a draft on his laptop.
PETER (V.O): I always find things exactly where I wasn't looking - which would be useful if I knew where that was.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): The trouble with forgetting isn't that things disappear. It's that I don't know they're gone until I need them.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Some things are lost. They're just not where I left them or where I thought I did. And I assume they'll come back when they're tired of hiding.
FADE OUT
END
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