I Was So Ill I Couldn’t Walk When a Man Essentially Lifted Me to a Bathroom.

At the age of my late teens, my daily commute meant taking an packed public transport. It was perpetually full and was consistently completely full by the time I stepped aboard.

During a certain commute, I began feeling terribly ill as the bus lurched around each corner. I repeatedly told myself to persevere just a little longer until the bus got to my destination, and then I could make a mad dash for the nearest public restroom to throw up.

The bus was approaching the street towards the stop when I realised I wasn’t going to last. In an instant, it was like a veil came over me. My vision turned hazy and muffled; like someone had cut the sound. I thought, “I will lose consciousness”.

Fortunately, I stood near the front of the bus, so I managed a couple of steps toward the driver and requested that the driver to stop, informing him I was going to get ill. He opened the entrance and I stumbled out out onto the street.

My intention was to not get sick in view of six lanes of traffic, so I gathered myself and began attempting to stumble toward the green space across the road, where I thought I’d at least be able to discreetly hide behind a bush to throw up. However I apparently fainted. I was aware of my limbs, but I couldn’t walk or see properly, leading me to start inching my way to the park.

“Are you okay, dear?”

At that moment, I got scooped up. I sensed an arm around my waist and heard a man say, “Everything alright, love?” I explained to this unknown man that I had to to vomit. Thus, he practically helped me walk down into an adjacent building and placed me in the ladies’ toilets. He inquired if I needed him to remain with me but I said no.

A few minutes later, I regained my composure enough to sit on the restroom floor and from outside the door came him inquire, “Are you feeling better, dear? Is there anything you require?” I could not to get up at that moment but did manage to say thank you and shortly thereafter recovered the use of my legs. I returned home and spent the next few days recovering from which was a nasty tummy bug.

I did not see his features – just his lower half along with a sizable metal toolbox he was carrying – but he helped me, at a moment I was at my most vulnerable.

Frequently, society has a way of making you guarded, hostile, and combative. His act was the type of kindness that melts away that emotional callousness. He served as evidence that people’s natural inclination is towards kindness, a quality I adore in other people.