FADE IN
Act 1
PETER sends an email via his mobile happily.
PETER (V.O): Yesterday, I got from a stranger an unsolicited request to interview me as the chair of a knowledge transfer committee.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Due to way the request was communicated to me, it’s riddle wrapped in a mystery.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Upon my investigation this morning, I reckon the stranger has been retained by the stakeholder I’ve been working closely with.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Ah, days ago, a friend has invited me to apply for empanelment to a regional arbitration centre.
Tapping a link, Peter reads the empanelment terms casually. He then presses the "Apply Now" icon.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): In the past, I'd have done it without any delay.
Act 2
INT. STUDY - CONTINUOUS
Peter begins to fill in the fields of an online form.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): My fax no.? I can't recall.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): When I first used fax in the Attorney General's Chambers in 1985, it was quite a novelty.
Surfing the web of his chambers, Peter mines the fax no., and fills in the field.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Academic qualifications...
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I don't think those in authority would take my BA in Philosophy as relevant, but it meant a lot to me when I got it with honours in 1981.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): It took me two years (1974-76) to get myself eligible to enroll with London U's external degree programme.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): For five years (1976 -1981), I studied Philosophy all by myself. My degree exams were my only philosophical discourses with others.
Peter refocuses on the field.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Perhaps, I'd just fill in my highest law qualification ie LLM in International Law (Lond) 1987.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): But it was dream come true when I was admitted to read Law at HKU in 1981.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Moreover, I won a 4-year Govt scholarship to read my LLB (Hons) and PCLL there.
Peter fills in "LLB (Hons) (HK) 1984".
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Not only that Govt paid my tuition fees, I continued to receive my civil service salary and housing allowance while studying full-time in HKU.
Peter fills in "PCLL (HK) 1985".
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): While working in the Attorney General's Chambers and doing part-time lecturing at CityPolytechnic (1985-1986), I read Lond U's external LLM programme.
Peter fills in "LLM (Lond) 1986".
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): And during that time, I won a UK Foreign Office scholarship and was placed in UCL to read law. The colonial UK Govt let me go with paid leave.
Peter fills in "LLM International Law (Lond) 1987".
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Experience in arbitration? I've very few in the domestic setting.
Peter fills in the field the small nos. without hesitation.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Other experiences? I was the legal architect of HK's IP regime - one of my proudest accomplishment in the 1990s.
Peter fills in the field.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): And I was a WTO Dispute Settlement Panelist, deciding two cases (US v European Communities and Australia v European Communities) from 2004-2005.
Peter fills in the field.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Only a handful of professionals in the world can claim that kind of global expertise.
Reaching the end of the form, Peter presses the "Submit" icon.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Done!
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): If there's a need for references, I'll just skip this whole application.
Act 3
INT. STUDY - 22:30
Peter inserts an AI drawing entitled "The Empanelment Enigma ..." to a draft.
PETER (V.O): The empanelment application process is customer-friendly, For me, there’s the underlying conflict and ambivalence.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O): As to the enigma, what is low stake for others can be high stake for me, as my time is running scarce.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I reckon I’ve become an enigma, having mixed qualities that seem to be in opposition to one another.
FADE OUT
THE END
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