The Kindness of Strangers in Ecuador
When the unexpected happens on a bus in Quito
It has happened to me once before while taking a crowded max to downtown Portland. It happened again today, except this time it was all in Spanish. I was taking the Ecovia (a large bus that runs North-South in Quito with its own lane of traffic) with a friend of mine, coming back from the historic district. The bus was crowded but I felt fine; we had just eaten delicious empanadas and fruit salads. The ride though was a half hour across town and there was only standing room left. My friend and I were talking amicably when I suddenly began to feel a bit queezy. My stomach was turning in knots and I began feeling light headed. We continued our conversation, until I could no longer take it. I looked to the side and casually said “yep, I think I’m going to faint”.
I felt the same way I did on the max; right before the tunnel vision hit I sat myself down on the floor of the bus, I didn’t know what else to do. These two older ladies looked at me and asked how I was. One lifted me up off the floor and gave me her seat. The other told me to put my head between my knees and breathe while the other rubbed my shoulders and neck. The one sitting next to me kept putting her hand against my cheek and saying I was cold, so she threw her shawl over my shoulders. There were three stops left and they took care of me the whole way while my friend answered questions from other concerned riders.
We finally got to Rio Coca (the end of the line) and I stood up gingerly. They both insisted I have a cafecito and they ushered me towards a little kiosk. The lady who gave her seat up to me left while my friend bought me a coffee. The other lady stayed for a moment and told me to drink the whole thing before I left the station. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and told her gracias por todo and she just responded with a smile and a pobrecita She walked off and I stood there with my friend, confused as to what had just happened but also in awe at what kindness was bestowed upon me be this beautiful stranger.