Feeling So Sick Walking Was Impossible Until a Fellow Passenger Essentially Lifted Me to a Bathroom.
Back when I was nineteenth year, my regular journey to work involved an express bus. It was perpetually crowded and invariably became without any seats once I got on.
One particular morning, I began feeling terribly ill as the bus lurched around each corner. I kept telling myself to hold on another few kilometres until the bus arrived at my destination, at which point I could sprint quickly for the nearest public toilet to vomit.
As we neared the avenue close to the destination as it dawned on me I wasn’t going to make it. All of a sudden, it seemed a fog descended upon me. My vision turned blank and silent; similar to when one cut the sound. I said to myself, “I will lose consciousness”.
Luckily I was toward the front of the bus, so I took several steps toward the driver and requested that the driver to open the doors, explaining to him I needed to vomit. He opened the entrance and I stumbled out onto the sidewalk.
I was determined not to vomit in front of multiple lanes of cars, so I forced myself up and endeavored to walk toward the green space on the other side, thinking I could I’d at least be able to discreetly hide among some shrubs to be sick. But then I likely blacked out. I sensed my body but walking was impossible or see clearly, leading me to start dragging myself toward the grassy area.
“Are you okay, dear?”
In that instant, I was lifted up. There was an arm around my waist and heard a man say, “Everything alright, love?” I told this unknown man that I needed to be sick. Thus, he practically supported my weight into an adjacent building and placed me inside the women’s restroom. He wanted to know whether I required him to stay with me but I said no.
A few minutes later, I felt better sufficiently to sit on the toilet and from outside the door I heard him inquire, “Are you OK, love? Can I get you something?” I was incapable to get up just then but did manage to thank him and shortly thereafter regained the function of my feet. I made my way home and then spent the following days healing from which was a horrible case of gastroenteritis.
I did not see his features – just his lower half and the big metal toolbox he held – but he helped me, at a moment I was at my most vulnerable.
Frequently, society has a way of making you defensive, aggressive and competitive. His act was the type of kindness that undoes that protective shell. He demonstrated that people’s natural inclination is to be kind, something I love about humanity.
