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

At the age of my late teens, my regular journey to work involved an express bus. The vehicle was always crowded and was consistently completely full when I boarded.

One particular morning, I was feeling incredibly sick while the vehicle lurched around every turn. I repeatedly told myself to hold on for a few more stops until the bus arrived at my destination, at which point I could sprint quickly for the nearest public toilet to throw up.

We were coming down the street towards the stop when I realised I wasn’t going to hold on. In an instant, it felt as if a curtain fell over me. My vision turned blank and silent; like someone had turned off the audio. I said to myself, “I will lose consciousness”.

Thankfully, I was positioned close to the driver of the bus, so I managed several steps forward and requested that the driver to stop, explaining to him I was going to be sick. He opened the bus doors and I hurriedly stepped onto the sidewalk.

I was resolved not to vomit in view of a busy multi-lane road, so I gathered myself and started trying to stumble to the park across the road, where I believed I could at least find some privacy behind a bush to vomit. But then I likely blacked out. I could feel my body but I couldn’t walk or see properly, so I began inching my way to the park.

“You right, love?”

At that moment, I was lifted up. I felt an arm around my waist and a man’s voice asked, “Everything alright, love?” I explained to this unknown man that I required to get to a bathroom. Thus, he practically carried me into a nearby building and guided me into the female bathroom. He wanted to know whether I required him to remain with me but I refused.

Not long after, I regained my composure sufficiently to sit down and from outside the door came him ask, “Do you need anything, love? Do you need anything?” I was incapable to stand up at that moment but I did succeed to thank him and shortly thereafter recovered the use of my limbs. I returned home passing the following days healing from what was later diagnosed as a severe stomach virus.

I never glimpsed the stranger’s face – just his lower half and the big steelwork tools container he held – but he saved me, during a time when I was completely helpless.

Often this world can make you guarded, hostile, and combative. His act was the type of kindness that reverses that emotional callousness. He served as evidence that our default setting is to be kind, a trait I cherish about my fellow humans.