In Such Poor Health Walking Was Impossible As a Stranger Virtually Carried Me to a Restroom.

At the age of my late teens, my regular journey to work involved an packed public transport. It remained crowded and would always be completely full once I boarded.

One particular morning, I was feeling terribly ill when the coach swayed around the bends. I repeatedly told myself to persevere for a few more stops until the bus got to my stop, and then I could sprint quickly toward the most convenient public restroom to vomit.

The bus was approaching the avenue close to the destination as I realised I would not be to hold on. All of a sudden, it was like a curtain fell over me. Everything just went white and really quiet; like someone had cut the sound. I thought, “I will lose consciousness”.

Fortunately, I stood close to the driver inside the vehicle, so I managed several steps forward and requested that the driver to open the doors, telling him I was going to vomit. He opened the bus doors and I weakly exited onto the sidewalk.

I was determined to not get sick in view of multiple lanes of cars, so I gathered myself and endeavored to stumble to the park across the road, thinking I could I’d at least be able to find some privacy near some foliage to vomit. But then I likely lost consciousness. I sensed my limbs, but I was unable to walk or see properly, leading me to start crawling towards the park.

“You right, love?”

At that moment, I got scooped up. There was someone holding me and heard a man say, “Are you okay, dear?” I managed to tell the kind passerby that I required to be sick. Therefore, he almost helped me walk down into an adjacent building and placed me into the female bathroom. He asked me if I needed him to wait for me but I said no.

Not long after, I had recovered enough to sit on the toilet when from beyond the door I heard him ask, “Do you need anything, love? Is there anything you require?” I could not to get up just then but I did succeed to express my gratitude and shortly thereafter was able to move my limbs. I made my way home passing the next few days healing from what was later diagnosed as a severe stomach virus.

I never glimpsed the stranger’s face – just his lower half and a large container for tools he had with him – but he saved me, during a time when I was at my most vulnerable.

Often this world tends to make people guarded, hostile, and combative. His was the sort of gesture that undoes that hardening of the heart. He served as evidence that humanity’s innate tendency leans toward compassion, a quality I adore about humanity.