In Such Poor Health I Couldn’t Walk Until a Fellow Passenger Practically Supported Me to the Toilets.

At the age of 19 years old, my regular journey to work was on an crowded coach. It was perpetually full and would always be standing room only by the time I boarded.

On one specific day, I started experiencing terribly ill when the coach swayed around the bends. I repeatedly told myself to persevere for a few more stops before the bus arrived at where I needed to get off, and then I could sprint quickly to the closest public restroom to throw up.

As we neared the avenue close to the destination as I realised I was unable to hold on. All of a sudden, it was like a veil came over me. The world became white and really quiet; as if someone turned off the audio. I said to myself, “I will lose consciousness”.

Fortunately, I stood toward the front inside the vehicle, so I took a few steps to ask the driver and asked the driver to pull over, telling him I was going to vomit. He opened the bus doors and I stumbled out onto the sidewalk.

My intention was to avoid being sick before multiple lanes of cars, so I gathered myself and endeavored to walk across to the park opposite the street, where I believed I could at least secretly conceal myself behind a bush to be sick. However I likely blacked out. I sensed my body but walking was impossible or see properly, so I began dragging myself toward the grassy area.

“You right, love?”

In that instant, I was lifted up. I sensed an arm around my waist and a stranger inquired, “You right, love?” I explained to this mysterious stranger that I had to to vomit. Thus, he practically carried me into a nearby building and put me into the female bathroom. He inquired if I wanted him to wait for me but I refused.

Not long after, I had recovered sufficiently to sit on the toilet and from outside the door I heard him ask, “Are you OK, love? Can I get you something?” I could not to stand up right away but did manage to say thank you and following a brief period recovered the use of my feet. I got myself home passing several days getting over which was a horrible case of gastroenteritis.

I never saw his features – only his legs and the big metal toolbox he was carrying – but he helped me, when I was in my weakest state.

Frequently, society tends to make people guarded, hostile, and combative. What he did was the kind of action that melts away that protective shell. He demonstrated that our default setting is to be kind, a quality I adore in other people.