Mute Old Man Uses Note to Beg Mailwoman for Help — Story of the Day

A young mailwoman receives a mysterious plea for help from an old man on her route and it ends up changing her life.

My grandmother used to say that you can’t tell by the smiles on people’s faces what goes on in the privacy of their homes. I didn’t like that. I thought it meant every face we see is a lie.

But sometimes people hide things they are ashamed or afraid of — until they can’t hide anymore. That’s what happened to Daniel Obispo. One day he just knew he had to tell the truth because it was the only way he’d get help.

Esther Turk was proud to be a mailwoman. Her father had been a mailman too, and he’d always said: “We are the blood that keeps America alive and healthy! We carry the good oxygen that keeps it all going!”

Esther agreed, she didn’t think for a minute that a virtual get well card was anything as cheering as a real one that had been touched and signed by loving hands. She loved seeing that some people still wrote letters.

Could you keep a love email or a text under your pillow or tie it up with a ribbon? Mail was just romantic, that’s what Esther thought. And she particularly liked the contact with people, handing over packages and letters. It made her feel connected.

Esther was particularly fond of one old gentleman, a Mr. Obispo, who always greeted her with the loveliest smile, even though he hardly ever had mail, and then only bills. He always stood on his porch and waved, and sometimes threw her a kiss.

Esther waved right back and threw him a kiss too. She always moved on from #56 Aventurine Lane with a smile on her face. But one day something changed.

The old gentleman was standing on the porch, but he wasn’t smiling and he was holding a piece of paper in his hand. As soon as Mr. Obispo saw her, he started walking towards her slowly.

When he came near, he stopped and made a gesture that indicated that he was mute. “Oh!” said Esther. “I’m sorry! Are you alright, Mr. Obispo?”

The man shook his head...