Every day, an elderly man placed orders for fifteen bottles of mineral water. I called the police because I thought it was odd. We were stunned by what we found.
After two years of working as a delivery driver, I came into an odd circumstance a few months ago. Every day, a sixty-year-old man ordered fifteen bottles of twenty liters of mineral water.
I initially believed it to be a one-time indulgence, but it quickly became into a daily habit: he placed the same order.
The fact that he lived alone in a little, remote home really got my attention. What on earth was he doing with all that water? I couldn’t tell.
Curious, I made the decision to ask him one day. His enigmatic smile and lack of response further piqued my interest.
My astonishment gradually gave way to concern. I chose to call the police as I was unable to come up with a reasonable excuse.
I went to his house with an officer the following morning. As like nothing was out of the ordinary, he gave us a warm greeting and asked us inside.
I was very astounded by what we found within. Nothing had prepared me for what we discovered there, despite the several scenarios I had envisioned.
Water bottles with labels that read “For the neighbors,” “For the temple,” and so on were strewn throughout the interior of the residence.
The elderly man clarified that he was aware that the neighborhood’s residents lacked access to potable water.
He asked the neighborhood kids to deliver the water he ordered each day.
The officer was moved and inquired as to why he had never mentioned his kind deed.
Simply put, “I don’t need anyone to talk about me,” the elderly guy said. I’m content as long as they have access to water.
His contribution was this silent gesture.
As a former soldier, he understood the need of water better than anyone.
