In Such Poor Health I Was Unable to Walk When a Man Essentially Lifted Me to the Toilets.

During my nineteenth year, my regular journey to work meant taking an packed public transport. It remained jammed and was consistently standing room only once I got on.

One particular morning, I began feeling incredibly sick while the vehicle swayed around every turn. I continuously reassured myself to endure for a few more stops so the bus could arrived at where I needed to get off, and then I could rush hurriedly toward the most convenient public toilet to vomit.

As we neared the street towards the destination as it dawned on me I wasn’t going to last. All of a sudden, it felt as if a fog descended upon me. Everything just went white and really quiet; like someone had turned off the audio. I said to myself, “I’m going to faint”.

Thankfully, I was positioned near the front inside the vehicle, so I took a couple of steps forward and asked the driver to stop, telling him I needed to get ill. He promptly opened the entrance and I hurriedly stepped onto the sidewalk.

I was determined to avoid being sick before multiple lanes of cars, so I forced myself up and started trying to stumble across to the park on the other side, thinking I could I’d at least be able to secretly conceal myself near some foliage to throw up. However I likely lost consciousness. I could feel my body but walking was impossible or see clearly, leading me to start crawling towards the park.

“Are you okay, dear?”

Right then, I was lifted up. I sensed an arm around my waist and a man’s voice asked, “You right, love?” I explained to this kind passerby that I required to be sick. Thus, he practically supported my weight into an adjacent building and guided me in the ladies’ toilets. He wanted to know if I needed him to stay with me but I refused.

After a short while, I felt better enough to sit on the restroom floor and from outside the door I heard him inquire, “Do you need anything, love? Can I get you something?” I wasn’t able to rise right away but did manage to say thank you and shortly thereafter regained the function of my legs. I returned home and then spent several days getting over which was a nasty tummy bug.

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

Often this world tends to make people defensive, aggressive and competitive. His was the sort of gesture that reverses that protective shell. He served as evidence that our default setting is towards kindness, a quality I adore in other people.