Being an emotional person isn't a crime, and some of us are just built that way; we put our emotions in front, putting our brains and other things behind when making decisions. Even when the brain is trying to warn or call our attention to something that's not right, we ignore it and just act based on how we feel. It can be very dangerous because our emotions prevent us from seeing consequences or repercussions, and we clearly think we are doing the right thing, which may be wrong.
I was returning from class one evening when I saw a lady with bags looking stranded at the school gate. I have seen cases of freshers needing temporary accommodations but haven't been privileged to help anyone before.
While staring at her from a distance, she turned in my direction, and our eyes locked. She looked stressed, and I walked up to her immediately.
Are you alright? I asked her.
"Good afternoon, Alhaja, I am waiting for my relative to pick me up, but her line is not reachable," she replied.
I looked around and asked a few questions about her relative, which she answered, so I left. I was about to board a tricycle when it crossed my mind that what if she can't reach the person before nightfall?
I returned and gave her my number to call me in case her relative didn't show up, and like I thought, it happened exactly that way.
She called back that her relative didn't pick up, and I gave her directions to my place immediately without informing my roommates.
I went to receive her at the junction and we went home together. While we were walking, I asked her name, why she was in school, and other questions just in case my roommates started asking me questions about her.
She's actually a freshman who didn't resume early due to financial struggles and the person she wants to live with isn't a student but a relative of hers.
To cut the story short, I assured her of an apartment for the night since she doesn't even have spare cash to lodge in a hotel, which isn't even advisable due to security concerns in that vicinity.
We arrived at my place, and there were questions written all over my roommates faces, so I took them out to explain things to them, and they were so mad at me for bringing in a stranger at that time of the day.
"What if she's not who she claimed to be?" One of my roommates asked, and I just assured her there won't be problems.
"We can't allow her to fall into harm's way, or what if the wrong person picks her up?" I asked them, and they weren't buying my excuses.
"Bee, use your head now. Must everything be about how you feel?" Another roommate asked, but I was adamant.
"It's just the night; please, let's help her. After all, she's sharing my space," I replied, and they got pissed, walking out on me.
I returned to the room to help my guest, showed her the bathroom, and even prepared noodles with egg.
She felt comfortable and welcomed; I was happy I could help. We were preparing to sleep when my guest phone rang, and it was the person who was supposed to receive her.
She claimed her phone was stolen in the bus, and she had to reach my guest siblings by social media to get her phone number.
My guest explained how I helped her and gave me the phone to give directions to my place, and funny enough, the lady lives about two streets away. I decided to take her there myself and was happy to have helped.
Upon returning home, my roommates took things personally, and I was angry too.
"Where is your conscience? It could have been any of us," I yelled at them, and we went on saying silly things to each other.
There was a grandma who lived next to our room; she heard our voices and came to knock on the door. We opened and greeted her because she's like a mother to every student living in that building.
After narrating our story, she blamed me for bringing a stranger home at that time of the day. Grandma told us a similar experience in that same building many years ago when some girls picked up a stranded girl unknowing to them that the girl picked had abortion complications and started bleeding all of a sudden.
The whole house was thrown into chaos, so she warned me never to let my emotions override my brain when making decisions. I thanked her and apologized to my friend.
My strange guest called me to thank me the next day, and we met often in school till I graduated.