Feeling So Sick Walking Was Impossible When a Man Practically Supported Me to a Restroom.

Back when I was 19 years old, my regular journey to work involved an express bus. The vehicle was always jammed and invariably became completely full when I boarded.

During a certain commute, I started experiencing terribly ill as the bus swayed around every turn. I kept telling myself to persevere another few kilometres until the bus reached my destination, and then I could make a mad dash to the closest public toilet to throw up.

The bus was approaching the street towards the stop when I realised I wasn’t going to last. All of a sudden, it was like a veil came over me. My vision turned hazy and muffled; like someone had cut the sound. I said to myself, “I’m going to faint”.

Fortunately, I stood toward the front on the bus, so I managed several steps forward and asked the driver to open the doors, explaining to him that I was about to vomit. The driver opened the bus doors and I weakly exited onto the sidewalk.

I was determined to not get sick in front of multiple lanes of cars, so I picked myself up and started trying to make my way across to the park on the other side, thinking I could I could at least secretly conceal myself near some foliage to be sick. However I apparently blacked out. I was aware of my limbs, but I couldn’t walk or see clearly, so I began inching my way to my intended destination.

“Are you okay, dear?”

In that instant, I got scooped up. I sensed an arm around my waist and a stranger inquired, “You right, love?” I managed to tell the kind passerby that I had to to be sick. Thus, he practically carried me over to an adjacent building and placed me in the ladies’ toilets. He asked me if I wanted him to stay with me but I said no.

After a short while, I had recovered to the point of sitting on the restroom floor and from outside the stall I heard him ask, “Are you OK, love? Do you need anything?” I could not to stand up at that moment but did manage to say thank you and after a few more minutes recovered the use of my feet. I returned home and spent the following days recovering from which was a nasty tummy bug.

I never glimpsed the stranger’s face – just his lower half and a large metal toolbox he had with him – but he helped me, at a moment I was at my most vulnerable.

Frequently, society can make you defensive, aggressive and competitive. His was the sort of gesture that melts away that hardening of the heart. He was proof that humanity’s innate tendency leans toward compassion, a trait I cherish about my fellow humans.