Fireman Gets Call While Shopping, Returns To Note
A Note
His groceries were long gone, and all that was left was the note. He cautiously looked at his coworkers as he opened the note. However, he soon discovered something strange about it.
He realized that there was no note at all. Something else caused his eyes to fill with tears. He couldn’t believe the elderly lady had done this to him. Now all he had to do was get his groceries.
Protectors Of The City
Pexels – Brian Garrity
Police officers in New York City are said to be esteemed protectors. However, Bill did not care for titles or praise; he only cared about his colleagues at the fire department. Every single day, they put their lives at risk to ensure the safety of others.
There were various causes for fires in the city, anything from people being stupid to mother nature’s wrath. And the responsibility was in Bill and his coworker’s hands to make sure that the fires were contained and that the residents were kept safe.
Dreams And Ambitions
Pexels – Leon Macapagal
From the moment Bill Lewis graduated high school, he knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life. His uncle inspired him to follow in his footsteps as a fireman. He enrolled in training and passed with flying colors. Bill found himself working at the New York Fire Department in a blink of an eye.
Bill gave it his all, and just like his uncle was before him, Bill became captain. He had everything he ever dreamed of, but he had to sacrifice a lot to get to that point.
Sacrifices
Pexels – Max Vakhtbovych
The only downside to being a firefighter was that Bill hardly had a second to breathe. Even if Bill was out on lunch or took the day off, he could receive a call at any moment. After all, who would put out a fire if they weren’t there?
Bill did not care at all. Saving the lives of people was much more important than a lunch break. However, one morning he is stunned by what he came back to.
Free Time
Reddit – Captantarctica
Bill was on call one Monday morning, and he and two of his colleagues decided to go do their weekly grocery shopping. They needed some items for the station’s kitchen and had some time to spare.
They made their way to the store and grabbed everything they needed. An older woman stood behind them in the queue and struck up a conversation. Regrettably, they received a call before even checking out their items.
A Different Kind Of Surprise
Pexels – Anders Kristensen
Bill looked at his phone and realized that the call was from the Fire Department. They dropped what they were doing and rushed back to the station. The clock was ticking, and they needed to act fast.
The call did not surprise Bill in the slightest, however, something else that day would stun him. When he and his colleagues returned to the establishment, he wasn’t expecting what they saw.
Responding To A Call
Reddit – Captantarctica
Even if it was not a life-threatening situation, it was their responsibility to respond to the call. The call was regarding an apartment that had smoke in it. They made their way to the apartment, and a woman answered the door. She did not seem pleased with their arrival.
After their investigation, it turned out that the smoke was coming from an illegal indoor fireplace, but there were no other threats in their home. They did the paperwork for the incident and drove back to the store.
Going Back
Public Domain
They always made sure to keep everything they needed in their truck so that they could do the paperwork on site. It was a quick job, and it only took them ten minutes.
They wanted to go pick up their groceries, but upon arrival, Bill noticed something strange. Their groceries were nowhere to be found! Furthermore, something would be left behind for them.
Where Were They?
Public Domain
They looked for ages to find the shopping cart that they had left in the store. They were only gone for fifteen minutes, and they did not think that somebody would remove it.
They couldn’t find their items anywhere. They approached the cashier and asked if she knew where they were. Her eyes widened. She was well aware of the situation.
She Left A Note
Public Domain
“That older woman behind you took them,” she told them. She did, however, leave this note.” Bill was as perplexed as ever. He snatched up the note and turned to face his coworkers. They despised having to re-shop for everything when they may be summoned at any minute.
They were under the impression that the elderly woman was kind. Why did she take their items? Perhaps she placed them where they belonged. He was expecting the note to chastise him for dumping the stuff on the ground. But it wasn’t at all like he had anticipated.
Nowhere To Be Found
Reddit – Captantarctica
His groceries were nowhere to be found. The note was the only thing that was left. He looked at his colleagues as he slowly opened the note. But then he realized something very odd about it.
It turned out that there was no note after it. It was something else entirely, and it brought a tear to his eye. He couldn’t believe that the old woman had done this. Now it was just a matter of getting his groceries.
Not A Note At All
Reddit – Captantarctica
What Bill noticed about the note was that it was actually a receipt. He was still confused as ever as he read the items and noticed that they were, in fact, the ones he had! And the receipt had a note scrawled on it in pen.
He read the note and couldn’t believe what it read. He showed it to his friends and coworkers, and they were just as stunned as he was. They knew that they had to do something about it.
Bought For Them
Public Domain
The note on the receipt read, “Hey, I picked up your groceries for you. I hope you don’t mind! I just wanted to think of a way to say thanks for doing what you guys do! Ask the girl behind the counter, and I’m sure she’ll give you your groceries.”
As sure as the note said, Bill checked with the cashier again, and she pulled out all of their groceries from behind the counter. They were already paid for and could be taken right out of the store.
Anonymous Kindness
Public Domain
Bill and his team couldn’t believe the kindness that the women that barely knew them showed them. She wanted to give more and show appreciation for the work he and his team did. He even felt tears well up in his eyes as he was moved by the gesture.
But he still had no idea who the woman was. He wanted to thank her for the kindness she showed them. But it wouldn’t be so easy to figure out who she was or where they could find her.
Public Announcement
Pexels – Pixabay
The note never explained who she was or how they could contact them. So Bill decided to do the only thing that he could think of. As the Fire Department captain, he could pull a few strings.
He decided to get in touch with a news crew and share the story with the public. He openly thanked the woman, whoever she was, and implored her to step forward so she could take the credit. But it seems that she wanted the kind act to just be a kind act and stay anonymous.
