I Was So Ill I Was Unable to Walk Until a Fellow Passenger Virtually Carried Me to the Toilets.

At the age of 19 years old, my daily commute involved an packed public transport. It remained full and was consistently completely full once I stepped aboard.

On one specific day, I began feeling terribly ill when the coach swayed around every turn. I continuously reassured myself to hold on for a few more stops so the bus could got to my stop, and then I could rush hurriedly toward the most convenient public toilet to vomit.

The bus was approaching the street towards the stop when I understood I would not be to make it. All of a sudden, it felt as if a curtain fell over me. My vision turned white and really quiet; as if someone muted everything. My mind raced, “I am about to pass out”.

Fortunately, I stood close to the driver on the bus, allowing me to take a few steps to ask the driver and asked the driver to pull over, explaining to him that I was about to vomit. He opened the bus doors and I hurriedly stepped onto the sidewalk.

I was determined not to vomit in front of a busy multi-lane road, so I forced myself up and began attempting to walk toward the green space opposite the street, thinking I could I could at least secretly conceal myself behind a bush to be sick. However I likely fainted. I sensed my limbs, but I couldn’t walk or see properly, leading me to start inching my way to the park.

“Are you okay, dear?”

Right then, I was lifted up. I sensed a strong arm supporting me and a man’s voice asked, “Are you okay, dear?” I told this kind passerby that I had to to be sick. Thus, he practically carried me down into a close-by structure and put me in the ladies’ toilets. He wanted to know whether I required him to wait for me but I said no.

After a short while, I had recovered enough to sit on the toilet and from outside the stall I heard him inquire, “Do you need anything, love? Is there anything you require?” I wasn’t able to rise just then but did manage to say thank you and after a few more minutes was able to move my limbs. I got myself home and then spent the following days getting over which was a nasty tummy bug.

I never saw that man’s face – merely his legs and a large container for tools he held – but he saved me, at a moment I was at my most vulnerable.

Frequently, society has a way of making you defensive, aggressive and competitive. His was the sort of gesture that reverses that hardening of the heart. He demonstrated that people’s natural inclination leans toward compassion, a quality I adore about my fellow humans.