MANAGER HUMBLES DELIVERY RIDER WHO JUST CAME IN TO DRINK WATER, CUSTOMERS LAUGH AT HIM BECAUSE HIS CLOTHES ARE DIRTY, BUT EVERYONE STOPS WHEN THE POLICE ENTER AND ATTACK THE RIDER

It is noon and “Casa de Lorenzo,” a famous and expensive Italian restaurant in BGC, is packed. The diners here are all dressed-up men, ladies covered in jewelry, and foreign businessmen. Each plate costs thousands of pesos, and anything that is not properly arranged is not allowed.

Amidst the luxury, the glass door opens and Berto enters. He is a delivery rider. His uniform is wrinkled, his elbows are dark from the sun, and he looks like he hasn’t showered in days. His cheeks are puffy and he is clearly exhausted. He doesn’t have any food to deliver; he entered because he is very thirsty.

“Excuse me,” Berto said softly to the receptionist. “Can I have just a glass of water? I’m getting dizzy from the heat outside.”

Before the receptionist could answer, Sir Dennis, the restaurant manager, came out of the office. Dennis was known for being strict and arrogant. When he saw Berto, his eyebrows immediately crossed.

“Hey! What are you doing here?” Dennis shouted. “Get out! Beggars are not allowed here! Look at you, you’re so dirty! You still smell like the sun! You’re making our air conditioner stink!”

“Sir, I’m sorry. Just water. I can’t take it anymore, I feel like I’m going to faint,” Berto pleaded. His lips were trembling and dry.

“Water?! Buy it outside! This is not a charity ward!” Dennis snapped. He picked up a dirty rag used to wipe the table and threw it at Berto’s face. “There! Wipe it off your face, you filthy bastard! Get out!”

Berto was slapped in the face. Several customers at the other table laughed. “Yuck, why did you let that in?” whispered a socialite while drinking wine. “It’s a loss of appetite.”

Berto picked up the rag. He didn’t fight back. He just bowed his head and slowly turned to leave. It was as if heaven and earth had covered him. People looked at him as if he wasn’t human—like trash that needed to be thrown away.

Dennis was overjoyed. He felt like he was very powerful. “That’s how it should be! Know your place! You vagabonds, don’t step on the territory of the rich!” he shouted after her.

Berto was about to open the door to go out when it suddenly opened loudly.

Six uniformed police officers entered, including a high-ranking officer. They immediately entered the dining area.

Dennis was stunned. He suddenly felt nervous but he forced a smile. “Officers! Good afternoon! Are you going to have lunch? We have a discount for police officers, that is, for police officers.”

The police ignored him. They passed Dennis.

They went straight to Berto—the delivery rider who was being chased away.

Everyone thought that Berto would be arrested for being a “nuisance.” The customers were expecting a scene. But the entire restaurant was shocked when the officer saluted Berto.

“Sir! The confirmation from HQ is positive,” the Police Major said to Berto.

Berto slowly removed his hat. He straightened his back. The hunchback and tiredness in his posture disappeared. His eyes, which had been gentle before, were now sharp and full of authority.

“Good job, Major,” Berto replied in a deep, baritone voice. He no longer stuttered.

Page: SAY – Story Around You | Original story

Dennis was stunned. “Wait… what happened? Sir? Why are you saluting that garbage collector?!”

Berto faced Dennis. He pulled out his badge from inside his wrinkled uniform. The gold badge of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) gleamed.

“I’m Senior Agent Roberto Mondragon,” Berto introduced himself. “And I’m not a garbage collector. I’ve been posing as a delivery rider in this area for two months to monitor illegal transactions in your establishment.”

Dennis’ eyes widened. He turned as pale as paper.

“Do you think we don’t know, Dennis?” Berto said firmly as he approached the manager. “You’re using this restaurant to launder money from the illegal drug trade. And you yourself are the one stealing the company’s funds to gamble at the casino. We have complete evidence.”

“Hi-That’s not true! This is a frame up!” Dennis shouted, but his knees were already shaking.

“And besides your case,” Berto added, pointing to the rag on the floor. “You’ve added another reason to arrest you. Serious Dishonesty and Grave Misconduct? No. What you’ve shown today is a lack of character.”

Berto looked at the customers who had been laughing earlier. They were all bowed down, embarrassed. The woman who said “yuck” almost hid under the table.

“You guys,” Berto said to the rich. “You guys are laughing while oppressing someone just because of their appearance? If I were a real delivery rider and not an agent, would you just let me be treated like this? You are rich in money, but you are poor in manners.”

No one was silent. The weight of the agent’s sermon could be felt.

“Handcuff him!” Berto ordered.

The police immediately picked Dennis up. “Sir, it seems like you have mercy! I was just joking earlier! I will give you water! Even soft drinks! Don’t lock me up!” Dennis pleaded as he was dragged out.

“You are late for the news, Dennis. You will drink water in jail,” Berto replied.

Before leaving, Berto approached the receptionist who was afraid to give him water. He smiled at her. “Miss, thank you for your attempt to help earlier. Let me go, I will recommend to the building owner that you not be involved in closing this restaurant.”

Berto went out with his team, carrying the manager who was now crying like a child. “Casa de Lorenzo” that was full of laughter earlier was covered in silence and shame.

The next day, the arrest of the syndicate behind the restaurant made headlines. But what struck people more was the story of the “Agent Rider” who taught a lesson to an oppressive manager. From then on, whenever a delivery rider or a simple person entered the establishments in BGC, people became more cautious and respectful—because they did not know, they might not be facing just a simple worker, but the person who could bring them down.