Feeling So Sick Walking Was Impossible Until a Fellow Passenger Virtually Carried Me to the Toilets.

During my nineteenth year, my daily commute involved an crowded coach. The vehicle was always full and would always be completely full when I boarded.

During a certain commute, I began feeling quite nauseous when the coach lurched around every turn. I continuously reassured myself to persevere another few kilometres until the bus arrived at my destination, and then I could rush hurriedly for the nearest washroom to throw up.

We were coming down the avenue close to the stop when I understood I wasn’t going to last. All of a sudden, it felt as if a veil came over me. My vision turned white and really quiet; like someone had cut the sound. I said to myself, “I will lose consciousness”.

Fortunately, I stood near the front inside the vehicle, so I took a couple of steps toward the driver and asked the driver to open the doors, informing him that I was about to be sick. He promptly opened the entrance and I hurriedly stepped on to the pavement.

My intention was to avoid being sick in front of a busy multi-lane road, so I gathered myself and endeavored to stumble across to the park opposite the street, where I believed I could at least find some privacy near some foliage to throw up. But then I must have fainted. I could feel my limbs, but I couldn’t walk and my vision was blurry, so I began inching my way to my intended destination.

“You right, love?”

Right then, I got scooped up. I felt an arm around my waist and heard a man say, “Everything alright, love?” I explained to this mysterious stranger that I required to vomit. Therefore, he almost carried me over to a nearby building and put me in the ladies’ toilets. He asked me if I needed him to remain with me but I declined.

A few minutes later, I felt better sufficiently to sit on the toilet and from outside the door I heard him inquire, “Do you need anything, love? Do you need anything?” I wasn’t able to get up right away but I did succeed to say thank you and shortly thereafter recovered the use of my feet. I returned home and then spent the following days getting over what was later diagnosed as a severe stomach virus.

I never glimpsed that man’s face – just his lower half and the big container for tools he was carrying – yet he rescued me, during a time when I was completely helpless.

Many times, life has a way of making you defensive, aggressive and competitive. His was the sort of gesture that undoes that emotional callousness. He demonstrated that humanity’s innate tendency leans toward compassion, a trait I cherish in other people.