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

Back when I was my late teens, my morning travel involved an packed public transport. The vehicle was always jammed and was consistently standing room only once I got on.

One particular morning, I started experiencing quite nauseous while the vehicle swayed around every turn. I continuously reassured myself to endure for a few more stops until the bus arrived at my stop, so I could then rush hurriedly for the nearest washroom to throw up.

The bus was approaching the avenue close to my stop and I realised I wasn’t going to hold on. All of a sudden, it felt as if a veil came over me. The world became hazy and muffled; as if someone turned off the audio. I said to myself, “I’m going to faint”.

Fortunately, I stood close to the driver on the bus, allowing me to take a couple of steps to ask the driver and told the operator to pull over, telling him I needed to get ill. He promptly opened the entrance and I weakly exited out onto the street.

I was resolved not to vomit in front of multiple lanes of cars, so I forced myself up and began attempting to walk to the park across the road, where I thought I could at least find some privacy among some shrubs to be sick. Yet I likely blacked out. I could feel my physical self, yet walking was impossible or see clearly, so I started inching my way to the park.

“Are you okay, dear?”

In that instant, someone picked me up. I felt an arm around my waist and a man’s voice asked, “Everything alright, love?” I told this kind passerby that I needed to get to a bathroom. Thus, he practically carried me down into a nearby building and put me in the ladies’ toilets. He asked me if I needed him to remain with me but I said no.

After a short while, I regained my composure sufficiently to sit on the toilet and from outside the door came him inquire, “Are you OK, love? Do you need anything?” I wasn’t able to stand up just then but did manage to say thank you and shortly thereafter regained the function of my limbs. I made my way home and spent the following days getting over what was later diagnosed as a severe stomach virus.

I never glimpsed the stranger’s face – just his lower half and a large metal toolbox he had with him – yet he rescued me, at a moment I was in my weakest state.

Frequently, society can make you self-protective, pushy, and rivalrous. His act was the type of kindness that melts away that emotional callousness. He served as evidence that our default setting leans toward compassion, a trait I cherish in other people.