In Such Poor Health I Couldn’t Walk When a Man Virtually Carried Me to the Toilets.

Back when I was nineteenth year, my regular journey to work was on an packed public transport. It remained full and invariably became without any seats by the time I got on.

One particular morning, I was feeling terribly ill while the vehicle lurched around the bends. I kept telling myself to persevere another few kilometres until the bus arrived at where I needed to get off, so I could then rush hurriedly for the nearest public toilet to vomit.

The bus was approaching the road leading to my stop and I understood I would not be to make it. Suddenly, it felt as if a curtain fell over me. My vision turned white and really quiet; similar to when one turned off the audio. I said to myself, “I will lose consciousness”.

Thankfully, I was positioned near the front of the bus, so I took several steps toward the driver and requested that the driver to pull over, explaining to him that I was about to vomit. He promptly opened the entrance and I hurriedly stepped on to the pavement.

I was determined to not get sick in view of six lanes of traffic, so I picked myself up and began attempting to walk to the park on the other side, where I believed I’d at least be able to discreetly hide near some foliage to throw up. However I must have lost consciousness. I could feel my limbs, but I was unable to walk and my vision was blurry, so I started inching my way to the grassy area.

“Everything alright, love?”

At that moment, I got scooped up. There was someone holding me and heard a man say, “You right, love?” I explained to this unknown man that I needed to be sick. Thus, he practically supported my weight down into an adjacent building and guided me in the ladies’ toilets. He asked me if I wanted him to stay with me but I declined.

Not long after, I had recovered sufficiently to sit down and from the other side of the stall I heard him inquire, “Are you OK, love? Do you need anything?” I could not to stand up at that moment but did manage to thank him and following a brief period was able to move my legs. I made my way home and then spent the following days healing from which was a horrible case of gastroenteritis.

I did not see that man’s face – merely his legs and the big steelwork tools container he held – but he helped me, during a time when I was in my weakest state.

Frequently, society has a way of making you defensive, aggressive and competitive. His act was the type of kindness that reverses that protective shell. He demonstrated that people’s natural inclination is to be kind, a quality I adore in other people.