kindness of strangers

homework 5.2

Have you ever been lost? How were you found? Write about a travel (or life) experience where you needed help finding your way. Prompt: "I didn't realize I was lost until..."

Remember a time you felt a connection to a stranger you met in a strange place? Start a paragraph with this sentence: "I never found out his name, but I won't forget how _______."
I decided to combine these two prompts into one. This is a work of fiction. Enjoy!

It had been a long day of shopping and exploring in the beautiful and exotic city. My arms were heavy with bags full of my days purchases, souvenirs and other lovely finds. But it was getting dark, and the last bus of the evening was to depart soon. If I didn't make it I'd be stranded.
I surveyed my surroundings, trying to remember the direction in which the station was located. But in the dim light of the evening I couldn't really tell where I was.
I was lost.
I had to make it onto that bus, I didn't have a contact number for where I was staying, or a phone for that matter.
My mind started to wander. What would I do? I'd be stranded in the dark, in an unfamiliar city, around people who spoke a language I was only barely familiar with. If I didn't make it I'd be in big trouble.
I decided I should at least start walking. Maybe I would pass something familiar.
I looked around, frantically, as I walked. Nothing rang any bells.
Crunch! I heard someone take a loud step behind me. My heart began to race as awful thoughts raced through my head about the psycho that was surely standing behind me, plotting my demise. Then I heard him call out in a thick accent.
"Excuse me!"
Nervously I turned around to see a man not much older than myself, and dressed in a fresh suit, approach me.
"Joo drapped dis." He stated, holding my passport in his outstretched hand.
My heart began to race again. What if no one had been around. I would have lost my passport, and would've never been able to go home!
"Thank you," I managed to mumble through my nervous relief.
My watch beeped, informing me I only had 5 minutes left before the bus was to depart. The bus! I still had no idea where I was. I turned towards the mysterious man, but he had already walked away.
Where did he go?! I thought to myself. I need his help!
I began running in the direction that he'd been standing, careful not to drop anything. I found him, after turning the corner, he was halfway down the street. I ran towards him, calling out "Excuse me? Hello? Can you help me?" I was worried he hadn't heard me, then he stopped and turned.
He looked surprised to see me. I probably looked ridiculous, hair falling out of my ponytail, bags bouncing and crashing at my sides. What a sight I must have been.
"Excuse me," I called to him, one more time. "Could you point me in the direction of the bus station? I've got to get there before the last bus leaves."
He looked at me like I was insane, but his expression softened when he saw how panicked I was.
"Eet es..." he began to point in the direction I had come, then stopped. He looked at his watch, and I saw a look of urgency on his face. "Let me elp joo." He said. "Ore joo'll nevehr mayke et een tyme."
Without much choice, I handed him half of my bags, and we began to walk back in the direction from which I had come. His pace was quick, and I had to jog to keep up with him. Two blocks from our initial encounter I began to recognize our surroundings and knew we were close. We walked up to my bus, moments before it pulled away.
"Thank you!" I stammered as he handed my things back to me. "Thank you, so much!" I felt a nervous tear run down my cheek.
"Joo're wellcomb." He said, and leaned in to kiss my cheeks, as is custom.
As I walked to the first empty seat on the bus I realized I'd never gotten the man's name. But I was nonetheless grateful for his help.