In Such Poor Health Walking Was Impossible When a Man Virtually Carried Me to the Toilets.

Back when I was my late teens, my daily commute meant taking an express bus. The vehicle was always full and was consistently standing room only once I boarded.

On one specific day, I began feeling quite nauseous while the vehicle swayed around every turn. I continuously reassured myself to persevere another few kilometres so the bus could reached where I needed to get off, at which point I could sprint quickly to the closest public toilet to be sick.

We were coming down the avenue close to the stop when I understood I wasn’t going to last. Suddenly, it felt as if a fog descended upon me. My vision turned white and really quiet; as if someone muted everything. I said to myself, “I’m going to faint”.

Fortunately, I stood toward the front inside the vehicle, allowing me to take a few steps forward and requested that the driver to stop, informing him I was going to be sick. The driver opened the doors and I hurriedly stepped on to the pavement.

I was determined not to vomit in front of six lanes of traffic, so I forced myself up and began attempting to stumble across to the park on the other side, where I thought it would allow me to secretly conceal myself near some foliage to vomit. However I must have blacked out. I could feel my body but I couldn’t walk or see properly, so I started dragging myself toward the park.

“You right, love?”

In that instant, someone picked me up. I felt someone holding me and a stranger inquired, “Are you okay, dear?” I told this unknown man that I required to vomit. Thus, he practically helped me walk into an adjacent building and put me inside the women’s restroom. He inquired if I wanted him to stay with me but I declined.

A few minutes later, I regained my composure enough to sit on the toilet when from beyond the stall I heard his voice asking, “Are you feeling better, dear? Can I get you something?” I wasn’t able to rise just then but I was able to thank him and following a brief period was able to move my limbs. I returned home and then spent the next few days healing from what turned out to be a severe stomach virus.

I never saw that man’s face – only his legs and a large container for tools he had with him – but he helped me, when I was in my weakest state.

Many times, life has a way of making you defensive, aggressive and competitive. What he did was the kind of action that reverses that protective shell. He demonstrated that people’s natural inclination is towards kindness, a trait I cherish in other people.