In Such Poor Health Walking Was Impossible Until a Fellow Passenger Essentially Lifted Me to a Bathroom.
At the age of nineteenth year, my regular journey to work involved an express bus. The vehicle was always jammed and was consistently without any seats when I stepped aboard.
On one specific day, I was feeling quite nauseous as the bus rocked around every turn. I continuously reassured myself to endure just a little longer so the bus could reached my stop, and then I could rush hurriedly for the nearest washroom to throw up.
We were coming down the avenue close to the destination as I realised I would not be to last. All of a sudden, it felt as if a veil came over me. My vision turned white and really quiet; as if someone turned off the audio. My mind raced, “I will lose consciousness”.
Fortunately, I stood toward the front of the bus, so I managed several steps forward and told the operator to pull over, informing him I was going to get ill. The driver opened the doors and I hurriedly stepped on to the pavement.
My intention was not to vomit in front of multiple lanes of cars, so I picked myself up and endeavored to stumble across to the park across the road, where I thought I’d at least be able to secretly conceal myself near some foliage to vomit. But then I likely lost consciousness. I was aware of my limbs, but walking was impossible or see properly, leading me to start dragging myself toward the grassy area.
“You right, love?”
In that instant, I was lifted up. I felt a strong arm supporting me and a man’s voice asked, “Are you okay, dear?” I managed to tell the mysterious stranger that I required to get to a bathroom. Therefore, he almost carried me down into an adjacent building and placed me inside the women’s restroom. He asked me whether I required him to stay with me but I refused.
Not long after, I regained my composure to the point of sitting down and from the other side of the stall I heard him ask, “Are you OK, love? Do you need anything?” I was incapable to get up at that moment but did manage to thank him and after a few more minutes regained the function of my limbs. I returned home passing the following days getting over what turned out to be a severe stomach virus.
I never saw the stranger’s face – just his lower half along with a sizable metal toolbox he had with him – yet he rescued me, during a time 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 humanity’s innate tendency is to be kind, something I love about humanity.