Feeling So Sick I Was Unable to Walk Until a Fellow Passenger Virtually Carried Me to a Restroom.
Back when I was my late teens, my daily commute involved an express bus. It was perpetually full and was consistently completely full by the time I stepped aboard.
On one specific day, I began feeling quite nauseous when the coach swayed around each corner. I continuously reassured myself to persevere another few kilometres so the bus could got to my destination, and then I could rush hurriedly toward the most convenient public toilet to vomit.
We were coming down the road leading to the stop when I understood I would not be to make it. All of a sudden, it was like a veil came over me. My vision turned white and really quiet; as if someone muted everything. I thought, “I am about to pass out”.
Luckily I was near the front inside the vehicle, so I took several steps forward and told the operator to open the doors, explaining to him I was going to be sick. He promptly opened the bus doors and I stumbled out onto the sidewalk.
My intention was not to vomit in front of a busy multi-lane road, so I forced myself up and started trying to make my way across to the park across the road, thinking I could it would allow me to discreetly hide near some foliage to vomit. But then I likely lost consciousness. I was aware of my body but I couldn’t walk or see properly, so I began crawling towards the park.
“Are you okay, dear?”
Right then, I was lifted up. There was a strong arm supporting me and heard a man say, “You right, love?” I told this unknown man that I needed to get to a bathroom. So he virtually carried me down into a close-by structure and placed me in the ladies’ toilets. He inquired whether I required him to wait for me but I said no.
A few minutes later, I felt better enough to sit on the toilet when from beyond the door I heard his voice asking, “Are you OK, love? Can I get you something?” I wasn’t able to stand up at that moment but I was able to thank him and after a few more minutes regained the function of my limbs. I made my way home passing the next few days getting over what turned out to be a horrible case of gastroenteritis.
I never saw the stranger’s face – only his legs along with a sizable steelwork tools container he was carrying – yet he rescued me, during a time when I was completely helpless.
Frequently, society can make you guarded, hostile, and combative. His was the sort of gesture that undoes that protective shell. He demonstrated that our default setting is to be kind, something I love in other people.
