I Was So Ill Walking Was Impossible As a Stranger Virtually Carried Me to the Toilets.

At the age of nineteenth year, my daily commute meant taking an packed public transport. It remained full and invariably became standing room only when I stepped aboard.

During a certain commute, I began feeling terribly ill when the coach rocked around every turn. I repeatedly told myself to persevere another few kilometres before the bus reached my destination, so I could then sprint quickly toward the most convenient public toilet to vomit.

As we neared the road leading to the destination as I understood I wasn’t going to last. In an instant, it was like a curtain fell over me. My vision turned blank and silent; as if someone muted everything. I thought, “I am about to pass out”.

Thankfully, I was positioned near the front of the bus, so I managed a few steps to ask the driver and told the operator to stop, informing him I needed to vomit. He promptly opened the doors and I hurriedly stepped onto the sidewalk.

I was resolved to avoid being sick before a busy multi-lane road, so I gathered myself and began attempting to walk to the park on the other side, where I believed I’d at least be able to secretly conceal myself behind a bush to be sick. Yet I apparently blacked out. I was aware of my limbs, but I was unable to walk or see clearly, so I began crawling towards the park.

“Are you okay, dear?”

At that moment, I got scooped up. I felt someone holding me and heard a man say, “You right, love?” I explained to this unknown man that I had to to get to a bathroom. Thus, he practically supported my weight over to a close-by structure and placed me inside the women’s restroom. He wanted to know whether I required him to remain with me but I refused.

After a short while, I felt better enough to sit down and from outside the door came him ask, “Are you OK, love? Is there anything you require?” I wasn’t able to get up at that moment but I was able to say thank you and shortly thereafter was able to move my legs. I got myself home passing the following days healing from what turned out to be a severe stomach virus.

I never glimpsed that man’s face – merely his legs along with a sizable steelwork tools container he had with him – yet he rescued me, during a time when I was in my weakest state.

Many times, life has a way of making you guarded, hostile, and combative. His was the sort of gesture that melts away that hardening of the heart. He was proof that our default setting is towards kindness, a trait I cherish about my fellow humans.