I doubled over on the brown leather chair of the waiting room as the pain in my stomach returned and took a sip of water from the bottle I’d been nursing since spending the flight from Melbourne to Singapore throwing up.
“Boarding pass!”
The lady who’d driven me from arrivals in the airport car was holding out her hand.
“Passport please!”
I produced my documents and asked her how long I’d have to wait to see the doctor, knowing my transfer to London was in 25 minutes.
Qantas had told that I wouldn’t be allowed back on the flight to London unless I saw the doctor and got a certificate of fitness to travel.
“Not long” she said, “he be here soon.”
That’s when the guy sat next to me piped up in an unmistakable British accent.
“Really?” He said, “because you said that 10 minutes ago.”
Okay, now I was worried.
I needed to make that flight. I needed to get home for my Grampy’s funeral.
I didn’t care how much pain I was in or how much I could feel sloshing around in my stomach.
I wanted to know how much this whole ordeal was going to cost me.
“Um” I started, trying and failing to hold back tears, “how much is seeing the doctor going to cost me?”
The lady in the pink blazer answered: “$100”
“Singapore dollars?” I said.
She nodded.
“How much is that in pounds or New Zealand dollars?”
“It’s about £70” – it was the British guy again, the one who’d now seen the doctor and was paying for his medication.
I thanked him, feeling a little better knowing that I could afford this, that visiting the doctor in Singapore in the middle of the night wasn’t going to bankrupt me.
Then the British guy spoke again.
“Have you got enough money?”
I looked up at this stranger’s face; this complete stranger who didn’t even know my name, who didn’t know anything about me.
“Yes, I have enough money” I said, giving what I hoped was a grateful smile, “but thank you. Thank you so much.”
Would he have paid for me if I couldn’t have paid for myself?
Would he have handed over his credit card and scrawled his email address on a piece of paper so that I could pay him back at a later date?
I don’t know and I don’t care.
In that moment he cared enough to ask and that was enough for me.
At the risk of sounding like a clichee, a stranger is a friend you haven’t met yet. I love strangers and I guess that is why I love hitchhiking. You meet some incredible people on the road.
George recently posted..Teaching in Asia: 101 Part 3
Sometimes, it’s literally just the thought that counts the most, hey.
Before returning from the South Island with my grandmother, we’d gone a little overboard with the shopping, and I’d meant to send a wee box in the post back up north, but forgot before we went to Mt Cook where there’s nothing, and then it was all the of sudden the weekend and were flying back Monday morning – a lady at a market in Geraldine offered to courier a box home for us – and not only that, handed me her bag with ALL the money from her shop and left me completely in charge for 20 minutes while she ran home to get us a box! I was blown away.
People are good in this world, thankfully there are ones that remind us of this
Kate – CanuckiwiKate recently posted..#FriFotos – These Trees
What a lovely man, it’s so nice to know that there is humanity out there in the world! xx
Scarlett recently posted..Rupaul’s Drag Race: The Drinking Game
He sounds like a lovely chap. I believe that it pays to be kind – it costs nothing, and it can come in the smallest act. People now can be in such a rush to get to places that they forget to be nice.
Tom @ Waegook Tom recently posted..What To Do In Yeosu: Five Ideas
Love this story. I always say that nothing restores your faith in humanity more than travelling. I have so many stories of total strangers helping me along the way and expecting nothing in return. One of the many reasons I love travelling so much!
What a lovely reminder of how nice people can be sometimes! And it’s often when you’re in the worst situation that a stranger comes through for you
Flora Baker recently posted..Moving to Cuenca: the Art of Getting Lost
How lovely! It’s now when peoole care enough to notice and help
Here’s my experience with a generous shopkeeper in Lembongan!
http://littlemermaidatsea.com/2012/10/06/random-act-of-kindness-in-lembongan/
Arielle recently posted..Why I Could Live in Victoria
I love reading posts like this – the kindness in strangers have always surprised me and we’ve traveled a lot! This past year, mostly those going out of their way to help us find ours.
Kieu ~ GQ trippin recently posted..Around the World in Mickey D’s
Great story. I often meet people who do so much for you, expecially with couchsurfing.. there are so many great people out there
Good to know there’s goodness in the world.
It probably would have been the perfect romantic beginning? Except for the hurling…
Ed Rex recently posted..Thoughts About the World Travel Market 2012
Great article! What a predicament to be in. Very inspiring story to think there are good people out there!
rebecca recently posted..Monday Morning Manipulation #4
What a lovely story! Well, except for the part about you being so sick! There’s nothing like travel to make you realize that most people want to help you, not hurt you. I think he 100% would have paid for your visit if you weren’t able. Good karma for him!
I’m a firm believer that good still exists in humanity even though news channels would have us believe otherwise. During our adventure next month we plan on experiencing the world for ourselves and see just how amazing it can be. Thanks for the inspiration!
Matt | Operation421 recently posted..To Eurail, or not to Eurail, that is the question