In Such Poor Health I Couldn’t Walk As a Stranger Practically Supported Me to the Toilets.

Back when I was my late teens, my regular journey to work involved an packed public transport. The vehicle was always full and invariably became without any seats by the time I boarded.

During a certain commute, I began feeling incredibly sick when the coach rocked around the bends. I continuously reassured myself to persevere just a little longer before the bus got to my stop, at which point I could rush hurriedly to the closest washroom to throw up.

We were coming down the street towards my stop and I understood I was unable to hold on. All of a sudden, it seemed a veil came over me. Everything just went blank and silent; similar to when one turned off the audio. I thought, “I am about to pass out”.

Fortunately, I stood toward the front inside the vehicle, allowing me to take a few steps forward and told the operator to stop, explaining to him I needed to vomit. He promptly opened the entrance and I stumbled out onto the sidewalk.

I was resolved not to vomit in front of multiple lanes of cars, so I picked myself up and began attempting to walk to the park opposite the street, thinking I could I’d at least be able to discreetly hide among some shrubs to throw up. But then I must have lost consciousness. I sensed my limbs, but walking was impossible or see properly, so I started crawling towards the grassy area.

“Everything alright, love?”

In that instant, someone picked me up. I felt someone holding me and a stranger inquired, “Everything alright, love?” I managed to tell the unknown man that I required to be sick. Thus, he practically helped me walk down into a close-by structure and placed me inside the women’s restroom. He wanted to know if I needed him to wait for me but I refused.

Not long after, I had recovered sufficiently to sit down and from outside the door I heard his voice asking, “Are you OK, love? Do you need anything?” I was incapable to stand up just then but I was able to thank him and shortly thereafter regained the function of my legs. I got myself home and then spent several days recovering from what turned out to be a nasty tummy bug.

I never saw his features – merely his legs and the big steelwork tools container he had with him – but he helped me, at a moment I was in my weakest state.

Frequently, society has a way of making you self-protective, pushy, and rivalrous. His act was the type of kindness that reverses that emotional callousness. He was proof that our default setting is towards kindness, a trait I cherish about my fellow humans.