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Writer's picturePeter K F Cheung SBS

Whispers of the Past



  1. Act 1 

  2.  

  3. INT. BEDROOM - 07:15

  4.  

  5. Rising with the sun, PETER opens the Duolingo app on his hand-held devices.

  6.  

  7. PETER (V.O): I've to attend a 10am meeting in Central, then a lunch gathering witn my former classmates in Law School ...


  8. Peter begins to practise Portuguese, then German.


  9. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Most important of all, I long to visit my old friend in the hospital at 5pm.


  10. Peter practises Spanish, then Italian, and then French.


  11. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): As time doesn't permit me to swim in the sea in the afternoon, I'd swim in a public swimming pool near the hospital.


  12. Having finished practising Italian, Peter checks the time.


  13. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I've to dash now. I've to leave practising Japanese and Korean later in the day.

  14.  

  15. Act 2  

  16.  

  17. EXT. QUEENS ROAD CENTRAL - 12:15

  18.  

  19. Exiting from the Prince Buiding, Peter continues to chat with MICHAEL.


  20. PETER: When did you graduate from HKUST?


  21. MICHAEL: In 2008, nearly 17 years ago.


  22. PETER: And you're thinking of getting donations from alumni to sponsor a named professorship...

  23.  

  24. MICHAEL: Yes, to give back by recognizing the knowledge transfer of a distinguished professor who have taught them.


  25. PETER: Such an endorsement is powerful and persuasive - an all-win strategy!


  26. INT. CHARIOT CLUB - 12:40


  27. In a big round table, Peter is sitting alone.

  28.  

  29. PETER (V.O): I'm the first one to arrive. At HKU Law School, I was class 1984 (LLB) and class 1985 (PCLL).

  30.  

  31. SHARON and ANNE join Peter.

  32.  

  33. PETER (V.O): They initiated the bi-monthly class lunch gathering two months ago. I've no hesitation to join.


  34.  GILBERT and ARTHUR join Peter.


  35. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Arthur retired before me, and Gilbert is still working in DoJ.


  36. ANGELA and GLORIA arrive.


  37. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I helped Angela for free once and she bought me a lunch. Gloria is patriotic.


  38. As they chat happily, KRIS arrives.


  39. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Two months ago, I strived to remember him. I couldn't reconcile his current look with the impression I had of him 40 years ago.


  40. As they chat endlessly, CHAPMAN arrives.


  41. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): In 1984, Chapman was a mature student like me. When we reunited years ago, he briefed me.

  42.  

  43. Soon, a beautiful LADY arrives, taking a look of Peter and others


  44. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): She's Lisa, still beautiful. We haven't met for over 40 years.


  45. LISA (to Peter): Your hair is the whitest among all.


  46. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): What was her impression of me way back when?


  47. As they chat warmly, SURRESH arrives.


  48. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): It's only in the last gathering I knew that he's Cantonese-speaking!

  49.  

  50. Then silence, as a MAN joins them.


  51. SHARON (whispering to Peter): Who's he?


  52. PETER (whispering to Sharon): A stranger to me too.


  53. Then, JUNIUS arrives, sitting next to the man.


  54. JUNIUS (to the man): Hello, David! We haven't met for quite a while.


  55. INT. TUNG WAH HOSPITAL - 16:50


  56. Ward entrance. Peter and other VISITORS are waiting before a locked door.


  57. PETER (V.O): The last time I met Alfred was in 1997. Would he recognize me? Could I recognize him? Can we communicate, as before?


  58. At 17:00, having walked around the ward, Peter asks a NURSE at the reception.


  59. PETER: Nurse, can you please tell me Alfred's bed number?

  60.   

  61. NURSE: He's at the partitioned corner...


  62. As Peter is about to rush there, the nurse stops him.


  63. NURSE: You've to wear protective gear first...

  64.   

  65. Act 3

  66.  

  67. INT. BEDROOM - 22:15

  68.  

  69. Peter inserts an AI drawing entitled: "Whispers of the Past..." to a draft in his laptop.

  70.  

  71. PETER (V.O): Relationships can fade over time, but reconnecting can bring joy and perspective.


  72. Thinking.

  73.  

  74. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): It's never too late to reach out and mend broken ties; the past doesn't have to dictate the future.

  75.  

  76. Reflecting.

  77.  

  78.  PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Shared experiences create lasting bonds that can be revisited and cherished.

  79.  

  80. FADE OUT

  81.  

  82. THE END





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