FADE IN
Act 1
INT. KITCHEN - 13:45
Grabbing three empty plastic beverage containers, Peter puts them inside his carrier bag.
PETER (V.O.): At the mall, there's a Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) that allows people to feed in used beverage containers.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I used it once. Other users couldn't wait to guide me. There's instant electronic rebate of 10 cents per container.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): While some containers with the right bar codes were accepted, others weren't.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I don't know if these containers will be accepted or not. I just want to have a go.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Cleaning and keeping them have already caused some inconvenience.
Act 2
INT. MALL - 15:00
Inside a chain store, a wet-haired Peter is checking in the shavers, razors and spare parts section.
PETER (V.O.): Since the pandemic, I've been shaving at will.
Peter touches his purple-red face mask.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): People can't see if I've shaved or not.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): At home, my wife complains occasionally.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My smart phones' virtual face-recognition devices don't care at all.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): What isn't good is when there's an identification need eg letting bank tellers check my whole face without wearing the mask.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Decency is a human creation rather than a natural phenomenon.
Peter focuses on spare-part items.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've shavers and razors, spare parts are what I need.
Peter sees the sign "Disposable".
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, yes, they can't be re-cycled.
Peter leaves without buying anything.
PETER (V.O.): Having just swum, I ate in a nearby Cha Chaan Teng.
Massaging his stomach, Peter walks towards a RVM.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): There're very few customers eating-in, partly due to the pandemic risk.
Holding his Octopus card over the RVM's reader, Peter presses "Start" on screen.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I feel bad to throw away the takeaway containers after use.
Taking out the empty plastic containers from his carrier bag, Peter feeds them into the RVM.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As the only rational species on Earth, we know how to identify all things as one.
Peter sees on screen of the RVM the word: "Accepted", "Accepted", "Accepted". and then an itemized electronic receipt including: "$0.3"
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Good. The empty plastic containers, like me, still have some residual value.
Taking another look of the RVM, Peter sees the logo of the Environmental Protection Department.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I once taught International Environmental Law. Nature knows best is a fundamental environment protection principle.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We've to understand nature and to abide by natural rules. To ensure a continuous and steady supply of resources, we shouldn't go against the natural processes.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Humankind is part of nature. Our aesthetic and intellectual satisfaction depend on nature.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Nature knows best. So are we. Ugly things ask for our attention.
Act 3
INT. KITCHEN - 15:30
Opening the fridge, Peter checks the beverages in plastic containers.
PETER (V.O.): Things are connected. Something must go somewhere. As the only rational species on Earth, we know how to identify all things as one.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We know we've to hurry to protect the environment. I've done just a tiny job.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But if everybody is playing the common ecological role, we can help let nature to take its own course, sustaining the life force.
Peter closes the fridge.
THE END
.
FADE OUT
Σχόλια