In Such Poor Health I Couldn’t Walk As a Stranger Essentially Lifted Me to a Bathroom.

During my 19 years old, my daily commute involved an express bus. The vehicle was always full and was consistently standing room only by the time I boarded.

One particular morning, I began feeling terribly ill when the coach lurched around the bends. I continuously reassured myself to hold on just a little longer so the bus could reached where I needed to get off, so I could then make a mad dash toward the most convenient public toilet to vomit.

The bus was approaching the road leading to the destination as I understood I was unable to last. Suddenly, it seemed a curtain fell over me. The world became white and really quiet; like someone had turned off the audio. I said to myself, “I will lose consciousness”.

Luckily I was close to the driver inside the vehicle, so I took a few steps toward the driver and asked the driver to open the doors, telling him I needed to be sick. He promptly opened the entrance and I stumbled out on to the pavement.

I was determined to not get sick in front of six lanes of traffic, so I gathered myself and started trying to stumble across to the park opposite the street, thinking I could it would allow me to discreetly hide near some foliage to throw up. However I apparently fainted. I could feel my physical self, yet walking was impossible or see properly, so I began crawling towards the park.

“Everything alright, love?”

At that moment, I was lifted up. There was someone holding me and a man’s voice asked, “Everything alright, love?” I explained to this unknown man that I had to to vomit. Thus, he practically carried me into an adjacent building and put me in the ladies’ toilets. He asked me if I needed him to remain with me but I said no.

After a short while, I regained my composure to the point of sitting on the restroom floor and from the other side of the stall I heard him inquire, “Are you OK, love? Is there anything you require?” I could not to rise right away but did manage to express my gratitude and shortly thereafter regained the function of my limbs. I made my way home passing the following days recovering from which was a horrible case of gastroenteritis.

I never glimpsed the stranger’s face – just his lower half and a large steelwork tools container he had with him – but he helped me, during a time when I was in my weakest state.

Often this world can make you guarded, hostile, and combative. His act was the type of kindness that undoes that protective shell. He demonstrated that people’s natural inclination is towards kindness, a quality I adore about my fellow humans.