In Such Poor Health I Was Unable to Walk When a Man Practically Supported Me to the Toilets.

During my nineteenth year, my regular journey to work was on an express bus. The vehicle was always crowded and would always be standing room only once I boarded.

One particular morning, I started experiencing quite nauseous when the coach swayed around each corner. I continuously reassured myself to persevere another few kilometres until the bus arrived at my destination, at which point I could make a mad dash for the nearest public toilet to throw up.

As we neared the street towards my stop and I understood I wasn’t going to make it. In an instant, it seemed a veil came over me. My vision turned hazy and muffled; as if someone cut the sound. I thought, “I will lose consciousness”.

Luckily I was toward the front inside the vehicle, so I took several steps to ask the driver and requested that the driver to stop, informing him that I was about to be sick. He opened the entrance and I stumbled out out onto the street.

I was resolved to not get sick in front of a busy multi-lane road, so I gathered myself and began attempting to walk toward the green space on the other side, where I thought I’d at least be able to secretly conceal myself near some foliage to throw up. But then I likely fainted. I could feel my body but walking was impossible or see clearly, so I started inching my way to my intended destination.

“Are you okay, dear?”

Right then, someone picked me up. I felt an arm around my waist and a stranger inquired, “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 put me into the female bathroom. He asked me if I wanted him to wait for me but I said no.

After a short while, I regained my composure enough to sit on the toilet and from the other side of the door I heard his voice asking, “Do you need anything, love? Is there anything you require?” I wasn’t able to rise just then but I was able to say thank you and shortly thereafter was able to move my legs. I got myself home passing several days getting over what turned out to be a severe stomach virus.

I never saw his features – merely his legs along with a sizable container for tools he was carrying – but he helped me, at a moment I was at my most vulnerable.

Often this world has a way of making you self-protective, pushy, and rivalrous. What he did was the kind of action that reverses that emotional callousness. He served as evidence that our default setting is towards kindness, something I love about my fellow humans.