Feeling So Sick I Couldn’t Walk Until a Fellow Passenger Essentially Lifted Me to a Bathroom.

At the age of 19 years old, my daily commute meant taking an packed public transport. It was perpetually jammed and was consistently standing room only by the time I got on.

During a certain commute, I was feeling terribly ill when the coach rocked around the bends. I repeatedly told myself to persevere for a few more stops so the bus could arrived at my stop, and then I could rush hurriedly for the nearest washroom to throw up.

As we neared the street towards the stop when it dawned on me I wasn’t going to last. All of a sudden, it felt as if a veil came over me. The world became hazy and muffled; like someone had muted everything. My mind raced, “I am about to pass out”.

Luckily I was close to the driver inside the vehicle, so I managed a few steps forward and asked the driver to pull over, informing him I was going to be sick. He promptly opened the doors and I weakly exited on to the pavement.

My intention was to not get sick in view of a busy multi-lane road, so I picked myself up and endeavored to stumble to the park opposite the street, where I believed I’d at least be able to discreetly hide among some shrubs to throw up. But then I must have fainted. I could feel my body but I was unable to walk and my vision was blurry, so I started dragging myself toward my intended destination.

“Everything alright, love?”

Right then, I got scooped up. I sensed someone holding me and heard a man say, “Everything alright, love?” I managed to tell the mysterious stranger that I needed to vomit. Thus, he practically carried me over to an adjacent building and guided me inside the women’s restroom. He inquired if I needed him to wait for me but I declined.

Not long after, I regained my composure enough to sit on the toilet and from the other side of the stall I heard his voice asking, “Are you OK, love? Can I get you something?” I could not to stand up just then but I did succeed to thank him and following a brief period was able to move my feet. I made my way home passing several days recovering from what turned out to be a horrible case of gastroenteritis.

I never glimpsed his features – just his lower half and a large metal toolbox he had with him – but he helped me, during a time when I was in my weakest state.

Frequently, society can make you defensive, aggressive and competitive. His was the sort of gesture that undoes that hardening of the heart. He demonstrated that humanity’s innate tendency is towards kindness, something I love about my fellow humans.