In Such Poor Health I Couldn’t Walk When a Man Virtually Carried Me to the Toilets.
At the age of my late teens, my regular journey to work was on an crowded coach. It was perpetually full and was consistently completely full once I boarded.
One particular morning, I was feeling quite nauseous as the bus swayed around each corner. I continuously reassured myself to persevere just a little longer before the bus reached my stop, so I could then make a mad dash toward the most convenient washroom to be sick.
As we neared the road leading to the stop when I realised I would not be to last. Suddenly, it seemed a fog descended upon me. My vision turned white and really quiet; like someone had turned off the audio. I said to myself, “I’m going to faint”.
Fortunately, I stood near the front on the bus, so I managed several steps toward the driver and asked the driver to open the doors, telling him I needed to be sick. He opened the entrance and I stumbled out onto the sidewalk.
I was determined to avoid being sick before multiple lanes of cars, so I forced myself up and began attempting to walk toward the green space opposite the street, thinking I could it would allow me to discreetly hide near some foliage to throw up. Yet I must have fainted. I was aware of my body but walking was impossible or see clearly, so I started crawling towards my intended destination.
“Everything alright, love?”
At that moment, I got scooped up. I sensed someone holding me and a stranger inquired, “You right, love?” I managed to tell the kind passerby that I had to to vomit. So he virtually helped me walk into a close-by structure and placed me in the ladies’ toilets. He inquired if I wanted him to wait for me but I declined.
Not long after, I had recovered enough to sit on the restroom floor and from the other side of the door I heard him inquire, “Are you OK, love? Can I get you something?” I could not to rise at that moment but I was able to say thank you and after a few more minutes recovered the use of my feet. I made my way home and then spent several days recovering from what was later diagnosed as a horrible case of gastroenteritis.
I did not see the stranger’s face – merely his legs along with a sizable metal toolbox he had with him – yet he rescued me, when I was in my weakest state.
Often this world can make you guarded, hostile, and combative. His act was the type of kindness that melts away that protective shell. He served as evidence that our default setting is to be kind, a trait I cherish about my fellow humans.
