In Such Poor Health I Was Unable to Walk Until a Fellow Passenger Practically Supported Me to a Bathroom.

Back when I was my late teens, my regular journey to work meant taking an packed public transport. The vehicle was always crowded and was consistently without any seats by the time I boarded.

On one specific day, I began feeling quite nauseous while the vehicle rocked around each corner. I repeatedly told myself to hold on for a few more stops so the bus could got to my destination, and then I could sprint quickly to the closest public restroom to be sick.

We were coming down the avenue close to the stop when I realised I wasn’t going to last. Suddenly, it felt as if a fog descended upon me. The world became blank and silent; as if someone muted everything. I said to myself, “I will lose consciousness”.

Thankfully, I was positioned close to the driver inside the vehicle, so I managed a couple of steps to ask the driver and told the operator to pull over, explaining to him I needed to be sick. The driver opened the entrance and I hurriedly stepped out onto the street.

I was resolved to avoid being sick in front of multiple lanes of cars, so I picked myself up and began attempting to walk across to the park opposite the street, where I thought I’d at least be able to discreetly hide among some shrubs to be sick. But then I apparently blacked out. I could feel my physical self, yet I was unable to walk or see properly, so I started inching my way to the grassy area.

“Everything alright, love?”

At that moment, I got scooped up. There was a strong arm supporting me and a man’s voice asked, “Are you okay, dear?” I told this mysterious stranger that I had to to be sick. Thus, he practically helped me walk down into a close-by structure and put me in the ladies’ toilets. He inquired whether I required him to wait for me but I said no.

A few minutes later, I had recovered to the point of sitting down and from outside the stall I heard him inquire, “Do you need anything, love? Do you need anything?” I wasn’t able to rise right away but I was able to thank him and following a brief period regained the function of my feet. I returned home and spent the following days recovering from what turned out to be a horrible case of gastroenteritis.

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

Frequently, society can make you self-protective, pushy, and rivalrous. His act was the type of kindness that melts away that emotional callousness. He was proof that our default setting is towards kindness, something I love in other people.