Bridges & Goodbyes

1. FADE IN

2. 
   

3. Act 1

5. INT. BEDROOM - 08:00

6. 
   

7. The soft yet persistent chime of his smartphone alarm fills the air. PETER stirs from his slumber, brinking against the morning light.

8. 
   

9. PETER (V.O.): Today's Campus Development Committee meeting has been moved up from 10:00 to 09:30.

10. 
    

11. Peter rubs his eyes.

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13. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I know it's my last Committee meeting as my tenure as Council Member of HKUST expires on 31 March, 2025.

14. 
    

15. The  alarm's chimes urge Peter to shake off the remnants of his sleep.

16. 
    

17. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The Committee Chair, an architect, will retire too, and the Secretariat has arranged a farewell lunch to thank him.

18. 
    

19. Peter swings his legs over the side of the bed.

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It appears that the weight of the hours ahead settles heavily on my neck.

22. 
    

23. Peter rubs the back of his neck with his hand, trying to ease the tension that has built up overnight.

24. 
    

25. Act 2

27. INT. BUSINESS SCHOOL, HKUST - 09:20

28. 
    

29. Conference room. Having said hello to everyone Peter takes his seat next to HUMPHREY.

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31. PETER (V.O.): I know he drives a brand new Porche.

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33. PETER: Is it wise to buy or collect a pre-owned special edition Boxster?

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35. The question hangs in the air, cutting through the silence like a breeze. Peter shows Humphrey an image of a white Boxster.

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37. HUMPFREY: The car looks nice. What's the price?

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39. BILLY, sitting next to Humphrey, chimes in.

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41. BILLY: It's a good car. I sold mine months ago.

42. 
    

43. PETER: Why did you sell it if it's such a good car?

44. 
    

45. BILLY: Sometimes, it's nice to change things up.

46. 
    

47. The CHAIR opens the meeting.

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49. INT. PEKING GARDEN - 13:00

50. 
    

51. The COMMITTEE gathers around a large table, their plates filled with cuiscine and their conversations focus on architecture and engineering.

52. 
    

53. BILLY:...when the boss enquired about the progress of the Ting Kau Bridge, a subordinate replied: "Sir, the construction has begun even though the design hasn't been finalized."

54. 
    

55. Laughter.

56. 
    

57. LEO: The Tsing Ma Bridge was a major infrastructural project and was less costly than Tsing Ma Bridge.

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59. PETER (V.O): It's been my privilege to serve HKUST alongside the professionals.

60. 
    

61. JOHN: The Hung Shui Kiu - Ha Tsuen Bypass project has been shelved due to its high cost.

62. 
    

63. Recalling.

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65. PETER (V.O): The image of the wooden Hung Shui Kiu with red water flowing beneath it in the 1960s remains vivid in my mind.

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67. PETER: In 1980, I worked as a Land Executive in Tuen Mun, responsible for resuming and clearing land for infrastructure development projects.

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69. The Committee leans in, eager to hear more.

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71. PETER (Cont'd): I noticed that the land lots to be resumed were owned by several well-known individuals, who had acquired them only a few years prior to the development.

72. 
    

73. Pausing.

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75. PETER (Cont'd): Compensation will be provided not only for the land but also for the crops growning on it.

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77. BILLY: These represented business opportunities.

78. 
    

79. JOHN: Was the Squatter Control Unit under the Housing Dept or the Lands Dept?

80. 
    

81. PETER: In the late 1970s, I was also a Housing Assistant, responsible for controlling squatters in Yuen Long.

82. 
    

83. The Committee looks surprised.

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85. PETER (Cont'd): I once inspected a "chicken shed", which was actually a three-storey concrete building. And on each floor, I found some chickens being raised, indicating that the use of the building hasn't changed from agricultural to residental.

86. 
    

87. The Committee is captivated.

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89. PETER (Cont'd): When enforcement actions were required, my primary objective as the head of the demolition team was to ensure the safety of my teammates.

90. 
    

91. PATRICK: Didn't you have a Police escort?

92. 
    

93. PETER: Only when violent conflicts was expected...I even learned Kung-fu and carried an umbrella for self-protection.

94. 
    

95. PETER (V.O): Only now do my colleagues of many years truly get to know me better.

96. 
    

97. As the meal comes to a close, RAMBERT, the retiring Chair, says goodbye to Peter in person.

98. 
    

99. PETER (V.O): Only Rambert is aware it's my last gathering with them - we don't want to dampen the mood.

101.  Act 3

103. INT. BEDROOM - 21:15

105. Peter inserts an AI drawing titled: "Bridges & Goodbyes..." to a draft on his laptop.

107. PETER (V.O): We build too many walls but not enough bridges; goodbyes are for those who see with their eyes, not those who feel with their hearts.

108. 
     

109. Thinking.

111. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Bridges are meant to be crossed, and every goodbye brings us closer to the next hello.

112. 
     

113. Reflecting.

115. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): As I aged, I realized I had to burn the bridges to prevent obligations from lingering in my life; and goodbyes aren't the end - they simply mean I'll miss you until we meet again.

116. 
     

117.  FADE OUT

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119. END