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

During my nineteenth year, my regular journey to work was on an packed public transport. It remained full and was consistently standing room only once I got on.

During a certain commute, I started experiencing quite nauseous as the bus lurched around the bends. I kept telling myself to endure just a little longer until the bus reached my stop, so I could then make a mad dash toward the most convenient public toilet to be sick.

We were coming down the road leading to my stop and I understood I would not be to last. All of a sudden, it was like a fog descended upon me. My vision turned blank and silent; like someone had turned off the audio. I thought, “I will lose consciousness”.

Fortunately, I stood toward the front inside the vehicle, allowing me to take a couple of steps forward and requested that the driver to open the doors, explaining to him that I was about to be sick. He promptly opened the entrance and I stumbled out onto the sidewalk.

I was resolved not to vomit in front of multiple lanes of cars, so I forced myself up and started trying to walk to the park on the other side, thinking I could it would allow me to secretly conceal myself behind a bush to be sick. Yet I apparently fainted. I was aware of my physical self, yet I was unable to walk or see clearly, so I began crawling towards my intended destination.

“Are you okay, dear?”

At that moment, I was lifted up. There was a strong arm supporting me and a man’s voice asked, “Everything alright, love?” I explained to this unknown man that I needed to vomit. Thus, he practically carried me over to a nearby building and placed me into the female bathroom. He asked me if I wanted him to wait for me but I said no.

A few minutes later, I felt better enough to sit on the toilet when from beyond the door came his voice asking, “Are you OK, love? Can I get you something?” I was incapable to get up at that moment but did manage to express my gratitude and shortly thereafter regained the function of my legs. I made my way home and spent several days getting over what was later diagnosed as a horrible case of gastroenteritis.

I never saw that man’s face – just his lower half and a large metal toolbox he was carrying – but he helped me, during a time when I was at my most vulnerable.

Many times, life tends to make people guarded, hostile, and combative. His was the sort of gesture that reverses that protective shell. He was proof that humanity’s innate tendency is to be kind, something I love in other people.