I Was So Ill I Was Unable to Walk Until a Fellow Passenger Practically Supported Me to the Toilets.

During my nineteenth year, my regular journey to work meant taking an express bus. It was perpetually full and would always be completely full when I got on.

During a certain commute, I started experiencing incredibly sick as the bus swayed around every turn. I continuously reassured myself to hold on another few kilometres until the bus arrived at my stop, and then I could sprint quickly toward the most convenient public toilet to vomit.

The bus was approaching the street towards the destination as it dawned on me I would not be to make it. All of a sudden, it was like a fog descended upon me. Everything just went white and really quiet; as if someone turned off the audio. I said to myself, “I will lose consciousness”.

Thankfully, I was positioned near the front on the bus, so I managed several steps to ask the driver and asked the driver to pull over, telling him that I was about to vomit. The driver opened the doors and I weakly exited out onto the street.

My intention was to avoid being sick before six lanes of traffic, so I forced myself up and began attempting to stumble across to the park across the road, where I believed I’d at least be able to secretly conceal myself behind a bush to be sick. However I apparently blacked out. I sensed my body but walking was impossible or see properly, so I began crawling towards the grassy area.

“You right, love?”

Right then, I was lifted up. I felt a strong arm supporting me and heard a man say, “Are you okay, dear?” I told this kind passerby that I had to to get to a bathroom. Thus, he practically helped me walk over to a nearby building and placed me into the female bathroom. He inquired whether I required him to remain with me but I said no.

After a short while, I felt better enough to sit on the restroom floor and from outside the stall I heard him inquire, “Are you OK, love? Is there anything you require?” I could not to get up right away but I did succeed to thank him and after a few more minutes recovered the use of my limbs. I got myself home and then spent the following days healing from what was later diagnosed as a severe stomach virus.

I never glimpsed the stranger’s face – only his legs and the big container for tools he had with him – but he saved me, during a time when I was in my weakest state.

Often this world can make you self-protective, pushy, and rivalrous. His act was the type of kindness that undoes that protective shell. He was proof that humanity’s innate tendency is to be kind, something I love about humanity.