Hector and the Search for Happiness Page #3

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you don't have time to ask

yourself that question.

That's why

I'm thinking of quitting.

What, now?

God, no.

In another $20 million.

(CHUCKLING)

Mind you, I've been saying that

for the last $100 million.

Oh, you bust a gut, you earn

enough money, you retire,

you do something you like.

Or nothing at all.

And then you're happy?

Yeah, we're addicted.

Divorced or dead.

What the hell?

Oh.

You pick a goal,

you work towards it.

Makes you feel better.

Just keep moving,

that's my motto.

Maybe there's only one way

to retire and be happy.

And what's that?

Don't retire.

It's time for some real China.

Come on.

Real? Okay.

Let me just grab a bit of this.

It's not what you know, Hector.

It's not who you know.

It's how much you pay

who you know.

(CHUCKLING)

(RAVE MUSIC PLAYING)

- Hey, how are you?

- How have you been? Hello.

- Hey, Jim.

- Hey, Edward.

- Back from Berlin.

- You're back in town.

By the way,

this is Mr. Perry.

What are you doing?

- Uh, I'm...

- Are you a writer?

No, um... No, I'm just

taking some notes.

- Do you believe that?

- Well, I wouldn't know.

I'm not rich

and I'm not important, so...

What a coincidence.

Neither am l.

Oh.

"The search for happiness."

Is it in here?

No.

Perhaps over there.

Uh, no, no.

That is torture for me.

I don't dance.

Why not? I mean, you don't like

to move around...

- No, I really...

- ...and move your body a little?

- No.

- Come on, it's fun.

I... You know what, it's...

Or is it right here...

in your smile?

My name is Ying Li.

I'm a student.

Hector.

- Nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you, too.

Oops, sorry.

Too long.

- So, what do you study, Ying Li?

- Tourism.

I'm a tourist.

What a coincidence.

(giggling)

(LAUGHING LOUDLY)

Oh, oh, oh.

Hm-mm.

- Edward!

- Having a good time?

(CHUCKLING)

Yeah.

Oh, that was mine?

I wasn't aware I was drinking.

You go next.

Listen to this.

(ALL REACTING)

Well, I will drink to that.

- Cheers.

- Cheers.

Hey, I have an idea.

I have an idea.

Who is available tomorrow night?

Let's mark the bottle.

- Hey, you're cheating.

- I'm not cheating.

- You are cheating.

- No, no, no.

- I'm not cheating.

- You are cheating.

- You're cheating.

- Lighten up, lighten up.

Alright, alright, alright.

(CARS HONKING)

Will I see you again?

What hotel are you staying at?

Hyatt on the Bund.

What a coincidence.

(SPEAKING IN CHINESE)

Welcome back

to Hyatt on the Bund.

(EXHALING)

Well, I'm, uh...

I'm not sure what the custom is

for escorting a young lady

to her room.

I'll be right back.

I'm not sure

what the custom is...

for undressing in front of...

- Hector?

- (SNORING LIGHTLY)

Hector?

Hector.

(SNORING LIGHTLY)

(THUNDERCLAPS)

(BOAT HORN)

(YANG Ll SINGING IN CHINESE)

(PHONE RINGING)

This is Hector.

EDWARD:
Did you have

a good time last night?

- Yeah, you know happy.

- (EDWARD LAUGHING)

Hey, I gotta go-

Um, I'd really like

to take you to lunch.

- Really?

- Yeah.

Um, you pick.

Just text me when and where.

(GONG CRASHING)

- (SPEAKING IN CHINESE)

- Yeah.

Yeah, it's nice.

I like it.

- What are you doing?

- Nothing.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

- Hi.

- Hi.

Listen, this is China.

You're Chinese.

I'm clueless.

I need to get

to the mountains.

Why don't you come with me?

- Too soon?

- Hmm.

It's preamble, Hector.

Preamble.

No.

It's just... you're different.

You're kind.

I'm not used to it.

(SPEAKING IN CHINESE)

- They look very happy.

- (CHATTING, LAUGHTER)

YING Ll:

They're with their friends.

HECTOR:
Why are they sitting

in the middle of the street?

They have nowhere else to go.

It's their day off.

They have no money

to stay in cafes.

They send their income

to their families,

so they meet here

on the street.

They come from

the countryside like I do.

My sisters and mother

are still there.

Look at them, they're like

a happy little island

in a sea

of grim businessmen.

Makes you wonder.

Hey, listen.

Your mother and your sisters,

we could pay them a visit,

you know on our trip.

Oh, Hector.

The difference between

those three ladies and me...

is that there's no shame

in how they make their money.

They can show

their faces back home.

I can't.

Oh.

Oh, why is that then?

- Ying Li!

- (MOTORCYCLE REVVING)

(GASPING)

Hey, wait.

- (SHOUTING IN CHINESE)

- Sorry. Sorry.

- (SPEAKING IN CHINESE)

- Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!

Your friend paid

for last night.

Who's paying for today?

(SHOUTING IN CHINESE)

But you seemed so real.

You tricked me.

You tricked me.

(GROANING)

What are you doing?

What are you...

(SHOUTING)

(YING Ll CRYING)

(MOTORCYCLE REVVING)

Ying Li!

Ying Li!

(MELANCHOLIC SONG PLAYING)

(TRAIN CHUGGING)

(CHIMES JINGLING)

(MELANCHOLIC SONG PLAYING)

It's Monday, we are closed.

Oh, yeah, but I've come

a very long way.

I'm a psychiatrist. I'm trying to

discover what makes people happy.

- It's Monday, we are closed.

- Okay, okay, okay.

Look, far be it from me,

and forgive me for asking,

and I don't mean to pry,

but would you consider yourself

to be a happy person?

What part of Monday

don't you understand?

(MAN SHOUTING)

A trainee.

He has a lot to learn.

- Would you like to come in?

- Uh, yes, please.

'Cause I might not

be around next week.

The moment of death

is indeed uncertain.

Now, come in.

- MONK:
Come, come, quick!

- Okay.

HECTOR:
When you've been a fugitive,

you've been imprisoned

for your beliefs,

you've lost family

and loved ones.

I mean, you've just been

through so much.

- How is it you're so happy?

- Because I've been through so much.

Alright, searching for happiness

is one thing,

but making it a goal, that just

doesn't work, does it?

Higher than that, Hector.

More important than

what we are searching for

is what we are avoiding.

Like unhappiness.

So, don't make unhappiness

not the goal.

Higher than that.

Avoiding unhappiness

is not the road to happiness.

You hold all the cards, Hector.

(LAUGHING)

(ENGINE RATTLING)

It's very noble this book

you're writing.

When you reach the end of it,

come back to me.

I would like to see

what you've learned.

Right, you mean when I'm

passing through this area again.

MONK:
We have Skype.

"Sky-pee."

HECTOR:
You have Skype?

(RINGING)

- Hi.

- Hector?

- Hi!

- Hi!

Hi.

How is it going?

How's work?

It's great.

Can you believe it,

they're going with Apollonax?

Whoo-hoo! Market research says

it's the biggest erection

they've had to...

I mean, sorry, sorry.

Reaction they've had

to a survey in 10 years.

Clara, look where I am,

I'm in a monastery.

Where you belong.

- (SMIRKING)

- How is Shanghai?

Yeah, I've made friends

with a rich banker,

and he took me around town

and we...

Now, you know every kind

of happiness money could buy.

It's weird seeing you like this,

you look really small.

(CREAKING)

(THUDDING)

(DOOR OPENING)

Hector, come, come.

You have to see.

The wind. Come!

(MONKS LAUGHING)

Hector! Look.

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