A little after 4:30… Time to go home.
I go to the elevator and, as is always prudent that time of day, step back a bit. Folks going down often mistake my stop on the second floor for the ground floor and sometimes rush out and nearly trampling me.

Sure enough, there came an Arrowhead water guy barreling out of the elevator. Slender black guy, about forty I’d say. We have a chuckle over this bit of business as we get situated on the elevator. He has a full dolly-truck full of empty five gallon jugs and one in his free hand partially full. He’s been schlepping these things all day.

We chat amiably on the way down, end of the workday stuff and when the doors open I get off first and start down the (rather long) hallway to the side door.

I hear him behind me. I have about a thirty foot start on him but I remember he has his hands full so I hold the door open and wait for him to come out.

“Nobody’s ever done that for me.” he says.
I think he’s kidding and just shrug at him. “Where’s your car? I’m gonna give you a case.”
I said, “Naah… for that? Naah, never mind.” I never buy it. I just never developed a taste for bottled water.

“NoSir! No one has ever done that for me! You get in your car and drive it here and I’ll throw a case in your back seat.”

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“You did a good deed for me so I’m gonna do one for you!”

“No, nev’ mind. My car’s way in the back.”

“Well then, what suite are you in? I’ll drop a case off.”

“Well,” seeing he wasn’t going to let it go, “How about a six pack?”
“A six pack!?”
He goes to his truck and takes a case off his front seat that had one bottle removed from it.

I could see to deny him would have hurt his feelings so I took it. He was very solicitous (seeing my walking stick) asking me if I felt I could carry it.

I thanked him and gained an almost full case of bottled water, something I would never dream of spending money on, to enjoy…

…just for being civil…