Transcendental Beauty
FADE IN:
EXT. ROAD - DAY
PETER spots something on a wall from a distance.
PETER (V.O.)
It has eye-appeal to me.
He then examines the sight at close range and takes a photo of it.
INT. STUDY - NIGHT
Relaxing on a sofa watching TV, Peter thinks of something and goes to his work station.
PETER (V.O.)
Is life like a difficult exam?
People pass or fail because
of what? Answering multiple-
choice questions by chance
rather than by reason?
FLASHBACK
INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY
Holding Peter (5)'s hand, a caring AUNTIE (20s) writes Chinese characters for him.
PETER
(Naughtily)
I don't want to write!
I don't want to go to
school!
Hearing and seeing that Peter GRANDFA (50s) grips a chicken feather duster to beat him a few times as his auntie tries to protect him.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.)
It was uncharacteristic
of him as Grandfa was
a carefree person. But
I was his first grandson
in the Cheung family,
and he cared about my
character formation.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)
My late Dad was never
concerned about education
as it had caused him
headaches. But he, like
Robinson Crusoe, could
invent household gadgets.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
My Mom would scold
the children for asking
to pay school fees. Even
now, she's still a money
hoarder. She worships
gods and our ancestors
and believes everything
would be OK.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Recently, I've examined
the criteria for applying for a care or protection order
under the Protection of
Child and Young Persons
Ord. I've also experienced
the practice and procedures
in juvenile courts. I then
recall what happened to
some of my peers in the
in the 1960s.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
My three younger
brothers also began
working when they're
very young. It's natural
that we didn't do well
in our exams. There're
also bad elements
around us. But we
never turned bad -
not even speaking any
foul language.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Perhaps, it's our free
will that enables us to
have our own values
and attitude in life.
Despite certain ups
and downs, I feel that,
we all score a good
pass if a good life is
hierarchical.
Peter inserts a photo to a blog post.
PETER (V.O.)
Is the photo worth
appreciating? I see the
random paper bits and
pieces, above or below
the groove, are just like
the ups and downs of
our ordinary life
experience. But if we
see life as a transcendental
plane and the groove is just
our ordinary classification
of what is good or bad,
then, we may be able to
appreciate the transcendental
beauty in its random
expression!
FADE OUT. The End