FADE IN.
Act 1
EXT.ROADS - DAY
Coming out from a Cha Chaan Teng, PETER walks towards a bus stop.
PETER (V.O.): I'm doing some paper chase today. Let me first go to HKU Law Library and then to the High Court Library.
Peter sees a Route#23 bus approaching.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When was the last time I took a bus to HKU? It's so easy to get to HKU by MTR now.
Peter hops on the bus. After passing through Admiralty, the bus goes up to the Mid-Levels.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): For decades, the roads remain the same.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): From 1977-1980, I used to drive to HKU to attend Housing Management lectures.
The bus is travelling along Bonham Road.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I actually lived in an old tenement near here...
Act 2
MONTAGE OF PETER 'S LIVING EXPERINECE NEAR BONHAM ROAD (1977-1980)
A. Peter (23) parks his car at an alleyway of an old tenement.
B. On a floor, Peter rests inside one of the cardboard-partitioned cubicles.
C. Peter and 4 ROOMMATES are having a meeting.
RETURN TO PRESENT
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We meet at times to deal with issues of common concern. They're HKU undergraduates. I was the only one working full-time.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): They envied my earning capacity. I envied their HKU undergraduate status. They deserved it as they studied all the time.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It also dawned on me why I wasn't one of them. Then, I began to follow their examples.
The bus stops at the East Gate of HKU.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): From 1981-1985, I was reading law full-time as a HKU undergraduate.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I was living in NT. To save costs and time, I would park my car at Kowloon Tong. It was pretty quiet then.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Later, I found car parts stolen, and a panel dented. Thereafter, I parked at a pay car park at Shek Kei Mei.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): During exam times, I'd drive direct to HKU. I parked at metered car parks at Lyttelton Road.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The experience was very stressful. Anyhow, I didn't fail in any exams during my 4-year law studies.
Arriving at the West Gate of HKU, Peter gets off.
INT. HKU LAW LIBRARY - DAY
Elegant ambience. Amidst the bookshelves, Peter is checking book titles.
PETER (V.O.): There're now so many publications on Hong Kong Law. The White Book and the Archbold are getting thicker.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): During my time, there're next to nil such publications. Except those practitioners' texts like Revenue Law.
Peter sees volumes of Stamp Duty and Estate Duty.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The principal author of the texts, Professor Peter Willoughby, was my thesis supervisor in the final year of my LLB studies.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): He was very kind. He gave me the highest grade I had ever scored in my law papers. I'm forever grateful to him for that.
Sighing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In 2005, estate duty in Hong Kong was abolished. And now I can only see his name on texts originally written by him.
Taking a deep breath, Peter continues his chase.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Why couldn't I find any Hong Kong law books on Equity?
Peter re-checks the titles again.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, I've found them, just two remaining copies. It's still not an easy subject for students and practitioners.
Carrying some books, Peter goes to the loan desk.
Act 3
INT. COURT LIBRARY - LATER
Solemnly quiet. Only Peter is reading books at a table. A LADY then enters, looking for something. And then a STAFF enters, trying to help. The Staff then approaches Peter.
STAFF: Can I have a look of the cover of the book you're reading?
Peter shows the Staff and also the Lady the book's cover.
STAFF: Yes! That's the one.
The lady nods.
PETER: You want to read it now?
.Without responding to Peter's question, the lady leaves.
PETER (V.O.): I can't be helpful then. In equity, when two parties have the same right to possess something, the one who first acquires an interest will prevail.
FADE OUT.
THE END
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