Work in Retirement

1. FADE IN.

2. 
   

3. Act 1

4. 
   

5. EXT. BLOCK EXIT - MORNING

6. 
   

7. Exiting, PETER in casual wear picks up a call.

8. 
   

9. PETER (To phone): Can I join a group lunch today?

10. 
    

11. Pausing.

12. 
    

13. PETER (To phone): Okay. I can change my schedule today.

14. 
    

15. Peter re-enters the block.

16. 
    

17. INT. BATHROOM - LATER

18. '

19. Dumping his swimming gear, Peter changes to smart wear.

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O.): Despite the rain and possible lightning, I meant to drive to the Golden Coast Beach and then retire to my NT home. I haven't been back for a week now.

22. 
    

23. Pausing.

24. 
    

25. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As I work in retirement professionally and voluntarily, I feel quite busy and need relaxation. But I know the host is very busy too.

26. 
    

27. Act 2

28. 
    

29. INT. PEKING GARDEN - AFTERNOON

30. 
    

31. Inside a room, Peter sits and chats with two LADIES and three GENTLEMEN in a table.

32. 
    

33. PETER (V.O.): The host wants to thank a gentleman and his assistant, and me, for doing something for him. And he brings his assistant and an intern.

34. 
    

35. A WAITRESS serves them delicate food.

36. 
    

37. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I don't expect the host to thank me for my little help. We've been working together for decades.

38. 
    

39. PETER: We've known each other since 1988. I was then working in the Law Reform Commission Secretariat, focusing on reforming the law on Copyright.

40. 
    

41. HOST: The Committee Chair was Judge Nazareth...

42. 
    

43. PETER: The Justice of Appeal was formerly the Law Draftsman. After his taking silk, he joined the bench. And he reposed all his confidence in you.

44. 
    

45. INT. GOVERNMENT OFFICES, HIGH BLOCK - LATER.

46. 
    

47. Stepping out of the escalators, Peter stops to stare at the adjacent low block.

48. 
    

49. PETER (V.O.): Whenever I need to brief the Judge and seek his steer, I'd go over to the High Court building from here. I'd take the Judges' Lift so that I could go to his chambers direct.

50. 
    

51. Peter continues to walk to lift lobby to take a lift to 1/F.

52. 
    

53. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Over 30 years ago, I spent long days and nights here. I was here yesterday, I feel like retiring here after a nostalgic lunch.

54. 
    

55. Pausing.

56. 
    

57. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In 1991, the 1st Director of Intellectual Property hunted me to become an Assistant Director (Policy & Legislation).

58. 
    

59. After his entry to the High Court library, Peter is attracted by a book in the new-publication shelf.

60. 
    

61. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): This book: "Trial & Error, a Judge's experiences in the law and out of it" might be interesting.

62. 
    

63. Picking up the book, Peter walks to a reading corner facing the Hong Kong Park.

64. 
    

65. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The library space here used to be office space of my big boss, the late Bertie de Speville, who was then the Secretary to the Law Reform Commission.

66. 
    

67. Pausing.

68. 
    

69. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I was then working in the Civil Litigation unit. He hunted me as one of his Assistant Secretaries. In 1988, he supported my accelerated promotion to the rank of Senior Crown Counsel.

70. 
    

71. Pausing.

72. 
    

73. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Before Bertie joined Hong Kong's Attorney General's Chambers, he was a Barrister practising in UK.

74. 
    

75. Recalling.

76. 
    

77. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In 1990, it was thought that he could be the 1st Director of Intellectual Property. Later, he became Solicitor General and then ICAC Commissioner.

78. 
    

79. Recalling.

80. 
    

81. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): One important thing I learnt from him was that one "can't say no" to one's daughter.

82. 
    

83. Recalling.

84. 
    

85. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): He's also a sailor - the white-haired guy who embraced Lee Lai-Shan upon her winning the Olympic gold medal in 1996 was him.

86. 
    

87. Turning around, Peter selects a particular spot to sit.

88. 
    

89. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The space I used to work is now occupied by mobile book shelves. The spot I'm sitting now was the corridor leading to my room.

90. 
    

91. Peter begins to read the book.

92. 
    

93. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've never heard of the author. I just want to know something about the career path of a Barrister in UK.

94. 
    

95. Reading.

96. 
    

97. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, the author's pupil masters were Dennis Barker and David Hunter - both became Hong Kong High Court judges.

98. 
    

99. Recalling.

100. 
     

101. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The former dealt with the Carrian fraud case and ruled in Sept 1987 that the defendants had no case to answer.

102. 
     

103. Pausing.

104. 
     

105. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Yes, trial and error. I was then still in UK, longing to return to work in Hong Kong.

106. 
     

107. Act 3

108. 
     

109. EXT. HONG KONG PARK - EVENING

110. 
     

111. Walking along a path, Peter is in thoughts.

112. 
     

113. PETER (V.O.): I used to park my car here. There wasn't the Hong Kong Park yet. It has been the case that Senior Crown Counsel couldn't have a government car park allocation.

114. 
     

115. Turning his attention to the buildings, Peter takes a photo.

116. 
     

117. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The construction of the Bond Centre, now known as the Lippo Centre, was completed in 1988. I love its distinctive and unique design. The courts and government offices are on its left.

118. 
     

119. Pausing.

120. 
     

121. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've never thought that I'd have a chance working in its towers. And it was in 2017 that I joined a set of chambers there.

122. 
     

123. Reflecting.

124. 
     

125. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That's one upside of my working in retirement.

126. 
     

127. FADE OUT.

128. 
     

129. THE END