I Was So Ill I Couldn’t Walk When a Man Essentially Lifted Me to the Toilets.
During my my late teens, my regular journey to work meant taking an packed public transport. The vehicle was always full and invariably became without any seats when I got on.
On one specific day, I started experiencing terribly ill when the coach rocked around each corner. I continuously reassured myself to endure just a little longer until the bus arrived at where I needed to get off, so I could then rush hurriedly toward the most convenient public restroom to vomit.
We were coming down the road leading to the stop when I understood I would not be to hold on. All of a sudden, it seemed a fog descended upon me. Everything just went hazy and muffled; like someone had muted everything. I thought, “I’m going to faint”.
Thankfully, I was positioned near the front inside the vehicle, so I managed a few steps toward the driver and told the operator to stop, informing him I needed to vomit. He opened the doors and I weakly exited on to the pavement.
My intention was not to vomit in view of six lanes of traffic, so I picked myself up and began attempting to make my way to the park on the other side, thinking I could I could at least discreetly hide among some shrubs to throw up. But then I must have fainted. I was aware of my body but I was unable to walk and my vision was blurry, so I started inching my way to the grassy area.
“You right, love?”
In that instant, I was lifted up. I sensed a strong arm supporting me and a stranger inquired, “You right, love?” I told this unknown man that I required to be sick. Thus, he practically supported my weight down into a close-by structure and placed me in the ladies’ toilets. He wanted to know whether I required him to wait for me but I said no.
A few minutes later, I felt better sufficiently to sit down and from outside the door I heard his voice asking, “Do you need anything, love? Can I get you something?” I wasn’t able to stand up just then but did manage to express my gratitude and shortly thereafter recovered the use of my legs. I made my way home passing the following days recovering from what was later diagnosed as a horrible case of gastroenteritis.
I never saw that man’s face – just his lower half and a large metal toolbox he was carrying – but he saved me, at a moment I was in my weakest state.
Often this world has a way of making you self-protective, pushy, and rivalrous. His was the sort of gesture that undoes that emotional callousness. He served as evidence that people’s natural inclination is to be kind, something I love about my fellow humans.
