I Was So Ill I Was Unable to Walk When a Man Essentially Lifted Me to a Bathroom.

At the age of 19 years old, my morning travel meant taking an crowded coach. The vehicle was always jammed and invariably became standing room only by the time I got on.

On one specific day, I began feeling quite nauseous when the coach lurched around the bends. I kept telling myself to persevere for a few more stops so the bus could got to where I needed to get off, at which point I could sprint quickly for the nearest public toilet to vomit.

The bus was approaching the avenue close to the destination as I realised I would not be to hold on. Suddenly, it felt as if a curtain fell over me. The world became blank and silent; like someone had turned off the audio. My mind raced, “I am about to pass out”.

Thankfully, I was positioned near the front of the bus, so I managed a couple of steps forward and told the operator to pull over, explaining to him I needed to get ill. He promptly opened the entrance and I weakly exited on to the pavement.

My intention was to avoid being sick in front of multiple lanes of cars, so I picked myself up and started trying to walk to the park across the road, where I believed I could at least find some privacy near some foliage to throw up. Yet I likely lost consciousness. I sensed my body but I couldn’t walk or see properly, leading me to start crawling towards my intended destination.

“Are you okay, dear?”

In that instant, I got scooped up. I sensed someone holding me and a man’s voice asked, “Are you okay, dear?” I told this unknown man that I had to to vomit. So he virtually carried me over to a close-by structure and guided me inside the women’s restroom. He inquired if I wanted him to stay with me but I declined.

After a short while, I felt better sufficiently to sit on the restroom floor and from the other side of the door came his voice asking, “Are you feeling better, dear? Is there anything you require?” I wasn’t able to stand up at that moment but I was able to say thank you and shortly thereafter regained the function of my limbs. I got myself home and then spent the following days healing from what was later diagnosed as a horrible case of gastroenteritis.

I never glimpsed that man’s face – just his lower half and the big metal toolbox he had with him – but he saved me, when I was in my weakest state.

Often this world can make you guarded, hostile, and combative. His was the sort of gesture that reverses that emotional callousness. He was proof that our default setting is to be kind, something I love about humanity.