In Such Poor Health I Couldn’t Walk When a Man Practically Supported Me to a Restroom.

Back when I was 19 years old, my morning travel meant taking an express bus. The vehicle was always crowded and was consistently without any seats by the time I stepped aboard.

On one specific day, I started experiencing terribly ill when the coach rocked around each corner. I repeatedly told myself to persevere just a little longer before the bus arrived at where I needed to get off, so I could then sprint quickly to the closest washroom to be sick.

As we neared the street towards the destination as I realised I was unable to last. All of a sudden, it felt as if a veil came over me. The world became blank and silent; as if someone turned off the audio. My mind raced, “I will lose consciousness”.

Luckily I was close to the driver on the bus, so I managed a few steps forward and asked the driver to stop, informing him that I was about to vomit. He opened the bus doors and I stumbled out on to the pavement.

I was resolved to not get sick in front of multiple lanes of cars, so I picked myself up and endeavored to walk across to the park across the road, where I thought I’d at least be able to find some privacy among some shrubs to be sick. However I must have fainted. I was aware of my limbs, but I couldn’t walk or see clearly, so I started dragging myself toward the park.

“You right, love?”

At that moment, I was lifted up. I felt a strong arm supporting me and heard a man say, “Everything alright, love?” I managed to tell the unknown man that I needed to vomit. Therefore, he almost helped me walk over to a close-by structure and guided me inside the women’s restroom. He asked me if I needed him to stay with me but I refused.

Not long after, I felt better sufficiently to sit on the toilet when from beyond the stall I heard his voice asking, “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 was able to move my limbs. I made my way home and spent several days getting over what was later diagnosed as a horrible case of gastroenteritis.

I never glimpsed his features – just his lower half and a large steelwork tools container he had with him – yet he rescued me, when I was in my weakest state.

Often this world has a way of making you self-protective, pushy, and rivalrous. His act was the type of kindness that undoes that hardening of the heart. He demonstrated that people’s natural inclination is to be kind, a trait I cherish about my fellow humans.