Yesterday I was waiting at the light at the top of the ramp to exit off the highway. In the lane to my left was an ambulance with its lights and siren off. I turned left to go home, and the ambulance pulled into the intersection as if to turn right. Then I saw in my rearview a pair of headlights heading down the wrong side if the road toward several sets of oncoming break lights. My eyes said, “hey look! The ambulance is going down the wrong side of the road.” My brain protested. “there is no way the ambulance would do that. They are professional drivers. There is a huge median. They wouldn’t drive into oncoming traffic.” My brain and eyes duked it out and as the ambulance turned on their flashing lights and crossed the median they finally came to an understanding. The eyes were right, the ambulance driver was nuts, and now I had an angry ambulance on my tail. It took a minute for my brain to reengage and figure out the proper get-out-of-the-way procedure. I missed the first two chances and finally pulled into a motel parking lot. By the time I turned around and got back on the road, the ambulance was long gone. My brain started in again with the “that was impossible” stuff, and I had a realization.
How many things do I see but my brain kicks out due entirely to the improbable nature of the event or situation? Do I only “see” the expected? What can I do to more readily see the unexpected?
