Isang 75-anyos na lalaki ang nag-order ng 14 na kaso ng mineral water araw-araw. Naghinala ang delivery man at tumawag ng pulis. Pagbukas ng pinto ay natigilan ang lahat.

A 75-year-old man orders 14 cases of mineral water every day, the delivery man gets suspicious and calls the police, as soon as the door is opened, everyone is stunned.

I am Jun – a mineral water delivery employee for a small agency in San Mateo town, Rizal. The job is hard but helps me earn a stable living. Among many customers, there is a 75-year-old man who left an unforgettable impression on me. Every day, he orders 14 20-liter bottles of water. Regularly, without missing a day.

When I first received the order, I thought he must have opened a restaurant or supplied it to some group. But when I got to the address, I saw that it was just a small old house at the end of an eskinita. The strange thing was that he never let me in, just opened the door slightly, leaving money in an envelope. I placed 14 bottles of water in front of the door and turned away; there was never a sound from inside. I wondered: how could an old man living alone use that much water every day?

Half a month passed, and things became more suspicious. Normally, a large family would only use 1-2 bottles per week; but this old man alone used 14 bottles per day. Once I asked him softly:

— Lolo, why do you use so much water?

He just smiled gently, did not answer, and then quietly closed the door. There was something mysterious about his smile that made me think.

I began to worry. Was he being taken advantage of? Or was something unusual happening in that small house? After many days of thinking, I decided to report it to the PNP and the local barangay.

The next day, I and a few policemen were at the door. When I knocked on the door, he came out, looking calm. But when the police asked to come in and check, he paused and slowly nodded.

The door opened slightly… and we were all stunned.

Inside the small house, there was no scary scene like I thought. Instead, dozens of large plastic bottles were neatly arranged, filled with pure mineral water. Each bottle was carefully labeled: “for the kapitbahay”, “for the barangay elementary school”, “for the barangay health station”, “for the parish chapel near town”…

The police and I looked at him in surprise. Seeing our faces, he smiled kindly:
— I am old, I cannot help much. The poor people around here often lack clean water. I ordered a lot of water, asked the children in the neighborhood to come and get it, and bring it to everyone. Those who are in need can have free drinking water.

Hearing that, my eyes stung. It turned out that all this time, he had been quietly doing charity work. The 14 bottles of water each day were his love for the poor, for thirsty children in the hot season.

A policeman was moved and asked:
— You do such a noble job, but why don’t you tell anyone, so everyone is worried?

The old man smiled softly, his voice trembling:
— I don’t want to show off. As long as everyone has clean water to use, I feel at ease.

It turned out that his name was Lolo Ernesto, a retired AFP soldier. After years of hardship, he understood the value of every sip of water. In his old age, he spent most of his retirement money to buy water to give to people around him.

That day, both the police officers and I were moved. The image of 75-year-old Lolo Ernesto, thin but with a kind heart, was something we could never forget.

From that time on, I was no longer simply a “water delivery person”. I took the initiative to help him transport it to distribution points, sharing it with the people. Gradually, the whole town learned about the story and joined hands: some contributed money, some contributed labor; the purified water stations around the area also donated more bottles. The barangay made a list of needy households for fair distribution.

A month later, when we returned, his house was busier. In the yard, many children were chattering, carrying bottles of water, laughing and joking innocently. Next to him was Lolo Ernesto, with white hair and eyes shining with joy.

I suddenly understood: sometimes, good things are hidden behind seemingly strange things. If I hadn’t had a moment of doubt and called to report, I probably would never have known that behind that half-closed door was such a tolerant heart.

And every time I remember “the 75-year-old man who orders 14 bottles of water every day”, my heart feels warm. In the midst of a bustling life, there are still people who quietly sow seeds of goodness, making this world more trustworthy and lovable—right in a small corner of Rizal, Philippines.