In Such Poor Health I Couldn’t Walk When a Man Practically Supported Me to the Toilets.
At the age of 19 years old, my morning travel meant taking an express bus. It remained crowded and invariably became completely full once I stepped aboard.
On one specific day, I began feeling quite nauseous as the bus rocked around every turn. I kept telling myself to persevere for a few more stops before the bus reached where I needed to get off, and then I could rush hurriedly to the closest public restroom to throw up.
We were coming down the avenue close to the destination as I understood I wasn’t going to hold on. Suddenly, it felt as if a fog descended upon me. My vision turned blank and silent; similar to when one muted everything. I thought, “I will lose consciousness”.
Thankfully, I was positioned near the front of the bus, so I took a few steps toward the driver and asked the driver to open the doors, informing him I needed to be sick. He promptly opened the entrance and I hurriedly stepped out onto the street.
My intention was to avoid being sick in front of six lanes of traffic, so I picked myself up and began attempting to make my way across to the park on the other side, thinking I could I could at least discreetly hide near some foliage to throw up. But then I likely fainted. I sensed my body but I was unable to walk or see clearly, so I began crawling towards the park.
“Everything alright, love?”
At that moment, I got scooped up. There was a strong arm supporting me and heard a man say, “Everything alright, love?” I managed to tell the kind passerby that I required to vomit. So he virtually carried me down into a nearby building and put me in the ladies’ toilets. He asked me if I wanted him to remain with me but I declined.
A few minutes later, I felt better sufficiently to sit down and from the other side of the door came his voice asking, “Are you feeling better, dear? Is there anything you require?” I wasn’t able to stand up right away but I was able to express my gratitude and after a few more minutes was able to move my limbs. I made my way home and then spent several days recovering from which was a nasty tummy bug.
I did not see the stranger’s face – only his legs and the big steelwork tools container he was carrying – but he helped me, when I was in my weakest state.
Often this world has a way of making you guarded, hostile, and combative. What he did was the kind of action that undoes that protective shell. He was proof that people’s natural inclination is towards kindness, something I love in other people.
