At the age of 19 years old, my daily commute was on an packed public transport. The vehicle was always full and invariably became without any seats once I got on.
During a certain commute, I was feeling terribly ill while the vehicle rocked around the bends. I continuously reassured myself to endure another few kilometres before the bus reached my destination, and then I could sprint quickly to the closest public restroom to vomit.
We were coming down the street towards my stop and it dawned on me I wasn’t going to hold on. Suddenly, it was like a curtain fell over me. Everything just went hazy and muffled; like someone had turned off the audio. I thought, “I am about to pass out”.
Thankfully, I was positioned close to the driver on the bus, allowing me to take a few steps toward the driver and requested that the driver to open the doors, informing him I was going to vomit. He promptly opened the bus doors and I stumbled out onto the sidewalk.
I was determined not to vomit in front of a busy multi-lane road, so I gathered myself and started trying to make my way across to the park opposite the street, where I believed I’d at least be able to secretly conceal myself near some foliage to vomit. However I likely lost consciousness. I was aware of my physical self, yet I couldn’t walk or see properly, so I began dragging myself toward the grassy area.
“Everything alright, love?”
In that instant, I got scooped up. I sensed someone holding me and a man’s voice asked, “You right, love?” I explained to this kind passerby that I had to to vomit. So he virtually carried me down into an adjacent building and put me into the female bathroom. He inquired whether I required him to stay with me but I said no.
Not long after, I regained my composure sufficiently to sit on the restroom floor and from outside the door came him ask, “Are you OK, love? Is there anything you require?” I could not to rise at that moment but I did succeed to say thank you and following a brief period regained the function of my feet. I got myself home passing the next few days recovering from which was a horrible case of gastroenteritis.
I never saw the stranger’s face – just his lower half and a large steelwork tools container he was carrying – yet he rescued me, at a moment I was completely helpless.
Often this world has a way of making you defensive, aggressive and competitive. What he did was the kind of action that undoes that emotional callousness. He demonstrated that humanity’s innate tendency is towards kindness, a quality I adore about humanity.
