In Such Poor Health I Was Unable to Walk As a Stranger Virtually Carried Me to the Toilets.

At the age of my late teens, my regular journey to work was on an packed public transport. It was perpetually full and invariably became without any seats by the time I got on.

One particular morning, I began feeling quite nauseous when the coach rocked around each corner. I continuously reassured myself to hold on for a few more stops until the bus reached my stop, at which point I could make a mad dash for the nearest public restroom to vomit.

We were coming down the road leading to the destination as I understood I would not be to make it. In an instant, it seemed a fog descended upon me. The world became white and really quiet; like someone had muted everything. I thought, “I’m going to faint”.

Thankfully, I was positioned near the front inside the vehicle, allowing me to take a couple of steps to ask the driver and asked the driver to stop, telling him that I was about to be sick. He promptly opened the bus doors and I hurriedly stepped out onto the street.

I was resolved to avoid being sick in view of six lanes of traffic, so I picked myself up and endeavored to stumble across to the park across the road, thinking I could I’d at least be able to find some privacy among some shrubs to vomit. However I likely blacked out. I could feel my limbs, but I couldn’t walk or see clearly, so I started inching my way to my intended destination.

“You right, love?”

In that instant, I got scooped up. I sensed a strong arm supporting me and a man’s voice asked, “Everything alright, love?” I explained to this kind passerby that I required to vomit. So he virtually carried me down into an adjacent building and placed me in the ladies’ toilets. He asked me if I wanted him to stay with me but I declined.

Not long after, I regained my composure sufficiently to sit on the restroom floor and from outside the stall I heard him ask, “Do you need anything, love? Can I get you something?” I was incapable to rise at that moment but I was able to express my gratitude and following a brief period recovered the use of my feet. I made my way home passing the next few days healing from what turned out to be a horrible case of gastroenteritis.

I did not see that man’s face – only his legs along with a sizable container for tools he had with him – yet he rescued me, when I was at my most vulnerable.

Many times, life can make you defensive, aggressive and competitive. What he did was the kind of action that melts away that hardening of the heart. He served as evidence that humanity’s innate tendency is towards kindness, a quality I adore about humanity.