In Such Poor Health I Was Unable to Walk Until a Fellow Passenger Essentially Lifted Me to the Toilets.

During my 19 years old, my regular journey to work was on an express bus. It was perpetually crowded and invariably became without any seats by the time I boarded.

One particular morning, I began feeling terribly ill while the vehicle swayed around each corner. I repeatedly told myself to persevere another few kilometres before the bus reached my destination, so I could then rush hurriedly for the nearest public restroom to throw up.

As we neared the street towards the stop when I realised I would not be to hold on. All of a sudden, it felt as if a fog descended upon me. My vision turned white and really quiet; similar to when one cut the sound. I said to myself, “I will lose consciousness”.

Fortunately, I stood toward the front on the bus, so I managed several steps forward and told the operator to open the doors, telling him that I was about to get ill. The driver opened the doors and I stumbled out onto the sidewalk.

I was resolved not to vomit in front of a busy multi-lane road, so I forced myself up and endeavored to walk to the park on the other side, where I believed I’d at least be able to discreetly hide behind a bush to be sick. Yet I must have lost consciousness. I was aware of my body but I was unable to walk and my vision was blurry, so I started crawling towards the park.

“You right, love?”

In that instant, someone picked me up. I sensed someone holding me and a man’s voice asked, “Everything alright, love?” I explained to this kind passerby that I needed to get to a bathroom. So he virtually helped me walk into an adjacent building and guided me into the female bathroom. He asked me if I needed him to remain with me but I declined.

After a short while, I had recovered to the point of sitting down and from outside the stall I heard him inquire, “Are you OK, love? Is there anything you require?” I wasn’t able to get up just then but I was able to thank him and shortly thereafter recovered the use of my limbs. I made my way home and spent the following days recovering from which was a horrible case of gastroenteritis.

I never glimpsed his features – just his lower half along with a sizable steelwork tools container he held – but he saved me, when I was completely helpless.

Many times, life has a way of making you defensive, aggressive and competitive. His was the sort of gesture that reverses that emotional callousness. He demonstrated that humanity’s innate tendency is towards kindness, something I love about humanity.