FADE IN.
Act 1
INT. SITTING ROOM - 22:00 (Yesterday)
Finishing dinner, PETER begins to read a thick book on crimes.
PETER (V.O.): I've to update myself on sentencing orders. I'm on duty in Tuen Mun tomorrow.
INT. BEDROOM - 23:30 (Yesterday)
Peter sets alarms at 07:00.
PETER (V.O.): I take public transport to work. I don't want possible traffic jams to delay my occupational duty.
EXT. TRAIN CABIN - 07:45
Sitting in a priority seat, Peter checks a route map.
PETER (V.O.): Should I change in Mei Foo? Ah, there's now the Tuen Ma line, I can change at Diamond Hill. I should arrive in time
Later and after changing stations, Peter arrives the Tuen Mun terminus.
Act 2
SEQUENCE OF PETER'S WORK AS A DUTY LAWYER
A. 09:00. Interview room#1. Peter and his ASSISTANT are seeing CLIENT#1. Having discussed, Client#1 signs on a sheet.
B. 09:30. Secured interview room#2. Peter and his Assistant are discussing with CLIENT#2 in English.
C.09:45. Secured interview room#2. Peter and his Assistant are seeing CLIENT#3, then CLIENT#4, then CLIENT#5 and then CLIENT#6.
D. 10:15. Secured interview room#3. Peter and his Assistant are discussing with CLIENT#7 who is handcuffed.
E. 10.30. Interview room#4, Peter and his Assistant are seeing CLIENTS#8 & 9.
F. 11:00. Court. Client#1 pleads guilty. Peter mitigates. Client#1 is fined.
G.11:05. Court. Client#2's bail review is rejected. Upon Peter's application, social welfare assistance is ordered.
H.11:10. Court. Client#3's case is transferred to the District Court, as Clients#8 & 9 look on from the gallery.
I. 11: 20. Court. The bail reviews of Clients#4 and then Client#5, are respectively rejected.
J. 11:30. Court. Clients#6 appears. Peter confirms there's no bail application and no reservation of the right of review.
K. 11:35. Court. Client#7 appears. After Peter's objection to an adjournment sought, an earlier date and other arrangements are fixed.
L. 12:00. Office. Presented with some papers prepared by his Assistant, Peter signs them off.
END SEQUENCE
INT. JAPANESE RESTAURANT - 13:00
Checking the menu, Peter does the order.
PETER (V.O.): In the late 2000s, my family used to come here after our Friday evening Latin dance lessons.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Believing it's our parental duty, our children had lots of extra-circular activities. They danced Ballet, and so Latin dance was easy stuff for them.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My wife and I never had the opportunity to learn to dance. Though delayed, we made that up ourselves.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): We took part in public parent-child dancing competitions. My wife and son got gold, and my daughter and I got silver.
Smiling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Now, our children are overseas.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Yesterday, our elder daughter sent us Tokyo-snowing photos. Having something Japanese now is a consolation. .
Eel rice in hot stone bowl is served.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The earthenware bowl is Korean rather than Japanese.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Fate is such that our elder daughter met her Korean boyfriend while learning Japanese together in Fukuoka.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In the New Year, her boyfriend believed he is duty-bound to sent us gifts. So he sent by air bottles of raw crabs marinated in soy sauce and spicy stir-fried octopus to us.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Apart from the pleasant surprise, my wife and I have never had Korean delicacies as delicious as them.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Treasuring the delicacies, we consumed the raw crabs little by little, even days after the best-before date!
Act 3
INT. SITTING ROOM - 23:00
Peter checks his diary.
PETER (V.O.): I'm on duty next week to offer pro bono legal advice. It's my moral duty to help.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The issues boil down to the neglect of duties - the duty not to harm others is a perfect one.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My clients expect legal advice from me. Discharging my legal duty responsibly makes me happy.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Whilst one has a choice whether to do good or not, to undertake the imperfect duty is perfect to me.
Peter takes a look of a thick book on philosophy.
THE END.
FADE OUT
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