A MAN IN A SPORTS CAR PUNCHED AND INSULTED AN OLD MAN ON A BICYCLE—
BUT HE TURNED PALE WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVED AND SALUTED THE ELDER
Sunday morning.
The road in Marikina Heights was peaceful.
Lolo Delfin was happily pedaling his old mountain bike. He wore a faded cycling jersey, simple shorts, and a helmet that had clearly seen better days. At seventy years old, cycling was his way of staying strong and healthy.
Suddenly—
VROOOOM!
A yellow Mustang sped past and aggressively cut into the bike lane.
SCREEECH!
To avoid being hit, Lolo Delfin swerved hard to the right. He crashed into the gutter. Unfortunately, the handlebar of his bike scraped against the shiny bumper of the sports car, leaving a long scratch.
The car stopped.
A man in his mid-twenties stepped out—Jiggs. He wore sunglasses, branded clothes, and carried the air of someone born into wealth.
“Are you stupid?!” Jiggs shouted as he stared at the scratch on his car.
“Are you blind?! Look at what you did to my car!”
Lolo Delfin slowly stood up, wiping mud from his knee.
“Son, you were the one who entered the bike lane. You almost hit me.”
“Oh, now you’re acting tough?!” Jiggs stepped closer and pointed at the old man.
“Do you know this paint job costs more than your life? Pay for it! Give me your ID!”
“I don’t have my wallet with me, son. I’m just exercising,” Lolo Delfin replied calmly.
Blinded by rage, Jiggs lost control.
BAM!
He punched Lolo Delfin hard in the face. Blood spilled from the old man’s lip, and he fell back onto the pavement.
“You worthless old man!” Jiggs spat.
“Beggar! Just blocking the road!”
People nearby stared in shock. Some wanted to help, but they were afraid—Jiggs looked powerful and influential.
“Call the police!” Jiggs shouted.
“I’ll have this old man jailed! You’ll never see the sun again!”
Moments later, two police patrol vehicles arrived. Four armed officers quickly stepped out after spotting the disturbance.
Jiggs smirked.
“There. You’re finished now.”
He rushed toward the officers.
“Officer! Arrest that old man! He scratched my car and tried to act tough! I’m calling my lawyer!”
But the police ignored him.
The team leader, Major Santos, walked straight past Jiggs.
The officers went directly to Lolo Delfin, who was wiping blood from his lip with the back of his hand.
Then they froze.
They recognized the old man’s face.
All at once, they stopped. Their boots clicked in unison as they stood straight.
SALUTE!
All four officers saluted at the same time, full of respect.
“GOOD MORNING, GENERAL!” Major Santos called out.
“Sir! Are you okay, Sir? What happened?”
Jiggs stared in disbelief.
It felt as if the world had stopped turning.
“G-General?” Jiggs whispered. His face drained of color. His knees began to shake.
Lolo Delfin slowly straightened and gently lowered the officers’ saluting hands.
“At ease, Major,” Lolo Delfin said in a deep, commanding voice.
The voice of a “helpless old man” was gone.
Standing before them now was General Delfin Borja, former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, known as one of the bravest military officers before his retirement.
“Sir, we should take you to the hospital!” Major Santos said anxiously.
“It’s just a scratch,” the General replied.
He then turned his sharp gaze toward Jiggs, who was now pale as paper.
“M-Major… you know him?” Jiggs asked, trembling.
Major Santos turned to Jiggs, anger blazing in his eyes.
“Do you even know who you punched? That’s General Borja—the man who fought in Mindanao and defended this country while you were enjoying air-conditioned comfort! He’s the one who built the police station where we’re assigned!”
Jiggs nearly collapsed. He staggered toward Lolo Delfin, about to kneel.
“S-Sir… General… I’m sorry! I didn’t know! I thought you were just an ordinary— I thought—”
“You thought I was just an ordinary person, so you could disrespect me?” Lolo Delfin cut him off.
The General stepped closer—so close that Jiggs could smell his own fear.
“Son,” the General said firmly,
“Whether you’re facing a janitor or a general, respect should be the same. Arrogance can be bought with money. But class has nothing to do with the brand of your car. It lives in your character.”
General Borja turned to Major Santos.
“Major, I don’t want special treatment. But I do want the law enforced. Reckless driving. Physical injury. And assault on a person in authority.”
“Yes, Sir!” the Major replied.
Jiggs was handcuffed in front of the crowd.
The Mustang he was so proud of was searched and impounded.
As Jiggs was loaded into the police car, he cried and begged for forgiveness.
Lolo Delfin simply got back on his old bicycle.
“Sir, we can escort you home,” the officers offered.
“No need,” the General smiled.
“Let’s not waste government fuel. I can still manage. I’ll just be more careful around the kings of the road.”
General Delfin pedaled away on his old bike—
but the respect he left behind rose higher than the sky itself.