I Was So Ill I Was Unable to Walk When a Man Virtually Carried Me to a Bathroom.
Back when I was 19 years old, my daily commute meant taking an packed public transport. The vehicle was always crowded and would always be standing room only once I got on.
On one specific day, I started experiencing quite nauseous while the vehicle lurched around every turn. I repeatedly told myself to persevere another few kilometres before the bus reached where I needed to get off, and then I could rush hurriedly for the nearest public restroom to be sick.
We were coming down the road leading to the destination as it dawned on me I would not be to last. In an instant, it felt as if a curtain fell over me. My vision turned hazy and muffled; similar to when one muted everything. My mind raced, “I am about to pass out”.
Fortunately, I stood close to the driver on the bus, so I took several steps to ask the driver and told the operator to open the doors, informing him I was going to be sick. The driver opened the doors and I hurriedly stepped out onto the street.
I was resolved to not get sick before a busy multi-lane road, so I forced myself up and started trying to stumble across to the park on the other side, where I thought it would allow me to secretly conceal myself near some foliage to throw up. Yet I apparently blacked out. I sensed my limbs, but I was unable to walk or see properly, so I began crawling towards the grassy area.
“Everything alright, love?”
Right then, I was lifted up. I felt a strong arm supporting me and a man’s voice asked, “Everything alright, love?” I managed to tell the unknown man that I needed to get to a bathroom. Therefore, he almost carried me down into an adjacent building and put me inside the women’s restroom. He asked me if I needed him to remain with me but I said no.
Not long after, I had recovered sufficiently to sit on the restroom floor when from beyond the stall I heard his voice asking, “Do you need anything, love? Can I get you something?” I could not to stand up right away but I was able to express my gratitude and following a brief period recovered the use of my legs. I got myself home passing several days recovering from what turned out to be a nasty tummy bug.
I never glimpsed his features – just his lower half and the big container for tools he held – yet he rescued me, when I was in my weakest state.
Frequently, society can make you guarded, hostile, and combative. His act was the type of kindness that undoes that emotional callousness. He demonstrated that our default setting is to be kind, a quality I adore in other people.
