Feeling So Sick Walking Was Impossible As a Stranger Essentially Lifted Me to a Bathroom.

At the age of my late teens, my morning travel was on an packed public transport. The vehicle was always jammed and invariably became standing room only by the time I stepped aboard.

On one specific day, I started experiencing quite nauseous while the vehicle swayed around each corner. I continuously reassured myself to hold on another few kilometres so the bus could got to my destination, and then I could make a mad dash toward the most convenient washroom to vomit.

As we neared the avenue close to the stop when it dawned on me I wasn’t going to make it. In an instant, it seemed a fog descended upon me. The world became hazy and muffled; like someone had turned off the audio. I thought, “I will lose consciousness”.

Thankfully, I was positioned toward the front inside the vehicle, so I took a few steps forward and told the operator to open the doors, informing him I was going to vomit. He promptly opened the bus doors and I stumbled out out onto the street.

I was determined not to vomit in view of multiple lanes of cars, so I gathered myself and started trying to walk to the park on the other side, thinking I could I could at least find some privacy near some foliage to vomit. However I likely lost consciousness. I was aware of my limbs, but I was unable to walk or see properly, so I started crawling towards the grassy area.

“You right, love?”

In that instant, I was lifted up. There was an arm around my waist and a stranger inquired, “Everything alright, love?” I managed to tell the kind passerby that I required to be sick. So he virtually supported my weight into a close-by structure and put me in the ladies’ toilets. He wanted to know whether I required him to stay with me but I said no.

Not long after, I had recovered to the point of sitting down and from the other side of the door I heard him ask, “Are you feeling better, dear? Do you need anything?” I could not to rise at that moment but did manage to express my gratitude and following a brief period recovered the use of my legs. I got myself home passing the next few days getting over what turned out to be a horrible case of gastroenteritis.

I never glimpsed his features – merely his legs along with a sizable container for tools he held – but he saved me, when I was completely helpless.

Often this world has a way of making you defensive, aggressive and competitive. What he did was the kind of action that melts away that hardening of the heart. He served as evidence that our default setting leans toward compassion, something I love about humanity.