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Writer's picturePeter K F Cheung SBS

If It's Thursday...

  1. FADE IN


  2. Act 1


  3. INT. STUDIO - 11:00


  4. PETER is playing the piano.


  5. PETER (V.O.): A work meeting scheduled today has been postponed to tomorrow.


  6. We hear piano music: The Theme from a Summer Place.


  7. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Practice makes perfect.


  8. Peter plays the piano chords of "Free as a Bird".


  9. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): There's always room for improvement.


  10. On his iPad Mini, Peter taps online piano tutorial lessons.


  11. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Perhaps I'd learn how to make songs sound more colourful.


  12. Selecting one, Peter watches attentively.


  13. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Amazing stuff.


  14. Act 2


  15. INT. RESTAURANT - 14:45


  16. In a corner, Peter is having dumplings and noodles in soup.


  17. PETER (V.O.): I've thought about managing my cars or going to the beach today.


  18. Peter sips a honey drink.


  19. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): There's no hurry actually. And I may have to follow up another small matter.


  20. Recalling.


  21. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Yesterday, I watched on YouTube the 1969 film: If it's Tuesday, this must be Belgium.


  22. Eating.


  23. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): It's a romantic comedy filmed in locations in London, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Brussels, Rhine, Venice and Rome.


  24. Pausing.


  25. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): The film's song carries the same title too...


  26. We see on Peter's phone screen:... If this is Wednesday, this must be Rome. If this is Thursday, this must be Montrose...


  27. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): The leading actress was Suzanne Pleshette - quite an idol in the 1960s.


  28. Eating.


  29. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): But I was fascinated by a scene, depicting a singer singing a psychedelic folk song in a hostel.


  30. Drinking.


  31. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Later, I found out the singer was Donovan. He once shared a finger-picking guitar style with the Beatles.


  32. Peter finishes his tea set.


  33. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): I heard about Suzanne Pleshette's film "A rage to live", but had not seen it.

  34. INT. STUDIO - 15:30


  35. Remote control in hand, Peter searches YouTube on TV: A rage to live.


  36. PETER (V.O.): Ah, free HD full movie is available.


  37. Peter presses "Play". After the colourful MGM logo, we see the black-and-white Panavision moving images.


  38. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): It's a 1965 Hollywood film.


  39. Recalling.


  40. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): The 1961 "Westside Side Story" and the 1964 "633 Squadron" were already colour films.


  41. Recalling.


  42. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): In the 1960s, I wouldn't pay to see black-and-white films.


  43. Watching.


  44. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Never mind. I just want to admire Suzanne Plesette in her prime more, out of curiosity.


  45. Tapping an AI drawing app, Peter inputs instructions.


  46. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Let me create an AI drawing in cubism form, depicting a beautiful woman in colour and in black-and-white.


  47. Checking one of the AI drawings, Peter looks pleased.


  48. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): I knew Suzanne Plesette died in 2008 at the age of 70.


  49. Pausing.


  50. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): She was 17 years older than me. I'm 69 going on 70.


  51. Act 3


  52. INT. STUDIO - 21:00


  53. Grabbing his smartphone, Peter taps the HKJC app and makes his "MARK SIX" bets.


  54. PETER (V.O.): If it's Thursday, it's my day in the week.


  55. Pausing.


  56. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Old stories and films take me back in time, reminding me of the days in the bygone era.


  57. Thinking.


  58. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): They also motivate me to keep fit and to continue to be creative in my own way.


  59. FADE OUT


  60. THE END















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