FADE IN
Act 1
INT. BEDROOM - 09:00
Sitting up in bed, PETER grabs his mobile, finds episodes of "Around the World in 80 Days (1956)" online and plays episodes sequentially.
PETER (V.O.): For the past several months, I've been trying to buy a copy of the film in either DVD or blue-ray format, but without success.
Peter watches the opening scene with child-like wonder.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Last night, I got a cue from my younger daughter and mined the film from an online platform.
Watching Act 1 scenes.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When I was a kid, my parents took me to movies. And I remember some of scenes of "Around the World in 80 Days".
Watching an Act II scene of grabbing mountain snow to chill champagne during a balloon trip.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): This is romantic.
Watching an Act II scene of the purported burning a woman alive with her husband's dead body.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): I also remember this challenge and the escalated one to dismantle wooden parts of a steamboat to feed its furnace.
Act 2
INT. STUDIO - 11:00
Sitting at the piano, Peter's fingers glide gently over the keys.
PETER (V.O.): Having rewatched the drama in full, I've the urge to practise the theme song "Around the World".
Peter plays each note and chord carefully.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I'm improving.
As we hear sweet music, we also see a smile tugging at the corners of Peter's lips.
EXT. YUEN LONG PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL - 13:45
A cold winter afternoon. Steam rises from the pool water. Peter swims leisurely.
PETER (V.O): In Hong Kong, this is a good substitute for open-air hot springs in the northern part of Japan.
MONTAGE OF PETER'S MEMORIES
A. Naha, Okinawa. Peter has a four-day-three-night stay there.
B. Restaurant, Hung Shui Kiu. Peter has a dinner gathering with extended FAMILY#1.
C. Panda Hotel, Tsuen Wan. Peter has another dinner gathering with extended FAMILY#2.
D. Ole restaurant, Central. Peter and his WIFE have lunch with a COUPLE.
E. Restaurant, Kowloon, Peter and his wife have dinner with FAMILY#3.
END MONTAGE
PETER (V.O)(Cont'd): I feel the tension of not having swum for nearly a fortnight. Now, it's being resolved.
EXT/INT. PETER'S NT HOME - 16:30
Arriving on foot, Peter can't wait to start his SMART car at the parking lot. We hear engine-cranking sounds.
PETER (V.O): I haven't come back for nearly a fortnight. It's fortunate that I don't have to jump-start it.
As he approaches a Nissan 200SX, Peter discovers something.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Oh, I've just brought the key of my Eunos...I hesitated whether I should drive it to NT or take public transport...Leave it then.
Later, Peter walks through his house, examining stuff here and there.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): What else to declutter? I believe the test is whether the item brings me joy.
We see Peter struggling to let go of objects that no longer serve him.
EXT. ESTATE COACH - 19:00
Peter is having screen time.
PETER (V.O): One upside of taking public transport is that I don't need to drive.
We follow Peter to read about "Heavy snow leaves more than 140 injured in Tokyo".
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I've many pairs of non-slip gripper spikes for shoes.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): When I travelled to Hokkaido Snow Festivals in Sapporo, Asashigawa and Otaru, I realised how important they're.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O)(Cont'd): The Sapporo Snow Festival is happening now, but I decided not to go this year, as it wouldn't be value for value.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O)(Cont'd): If I went, I should be flying back to Hong Kong now, as I wouldn't like to miss any Chinese year-end gatherings.
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM - 23:00
Working on a laptop, Peter inserts an AI drawing called "Around the World Within..." to a text.
PETER (V.O): While I see the world around me, I wouldn't neglect the world within me.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): The world around me is only beautiful when I'm at peace with the world within me.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): I haven't been everywhere. But I believe the chance which seems lost may present itself later.
FADE OUT
THE END
top of page
Search
Recent Posts
See Allbottom of page
Comments