I am one of those people who fall asleep very easily. I can sleep anywhere, anytime, especially if I am in a moving vehicle. It has caused me some inconveniences, when I wake up too late and realize that I have bypassed my stop. It hasn't put me in danger, though, until that one time when I was on my way home at 2 in the morning. If it were not for a concerned passenger, my safety would have been put at risk.

I had attended a party for a friend who was going out of the country. I had drunk a small amount of wine and felt very tipsy already. My friend wanted me to stay the night in her house, but I refused. I told her I was used to going home alone late and I needed to be there for my pets. I never reckoned on my tiredness nor on the alcohol I had which made me sleepy.

I took the bus and found a window seat at the back. Given the lateness of the hour and knowing that it would be difficult for me to wake up in time to see my stop, I tried to keep awake. I failed though, and pretty soon I was dead to the world.

I woke up to an old man shaking me awake. "This is your stop, isn't it?" he said.

I looked outside and saw that he was right. I thanked the guy profusely and immediately asked the driver to drop me off. I was thinking how nice the old man was; if I were in his shoes, I wouldn't have done it, afraid I'd be making a mistake.

It was only two days later when I realized how much the old man has done for me. I heard from the news that the same bus was held up five stops from where I got off. The few passengers who remained lost all their belongings, and one passenger who resisted got hurt. The only woman passenger got molested.

If the old man did not wake me up, I probably would have been among those unlucky passengers. How horrible it would have been to wake up to armed men! They could have gotten all my stuff, and worse, they could have abused me too. The incident made me realize all the more how angels are looking after us, disguised as men and women who show concern for their fellow men even at the risk of making a mistake, or appearing to be busybodies. Since then, I have always tried to pass on the kindness I received from the old guy, remembering his sincere desire to help.