The Doctor Story

I love this story a lot.  A classmate showed it to me for one of our group presentations.  I think it really shows how “progressive” of a thinker you are.  It also clearly illustrates an idea that many people think to be bogus.  Before I give it away here is the story.  Try your best to read the story without looking at what is written below it.  Try to figure out how this story is possible.

The Doctor story

A father and his son were driving to a ball game when their car stalled on the railroad tracks.  In the distance a train whistle blew a warning.  Frantically, the father tried to start the engine, but in his panic, he couldn’t turn the key, and the onrushing train hit the car.  An ambulance sped to the scene and picked them up.  On the way to the hospital, the father died.  The son was still alive but his condition was very serious, and he needed immediate surgery.  The moment they arrived at the hospital, he was wheeled into an emergency operating room, and the surgeon came in, expecting a routine case.  However, on seeing he boy the surgeon blanched and muttered, “I can’t operate on this boy– he’s my son.”

So how is it possible?  Do you understand?  Cause I don’t (or didn’t)!  Even after rediscovering it for the second time it took me about five minutes or so before I realized my mistake again.  So want to know the secret?  The gender of the doctor is never said.  The doctor is the boy’s mother.  Many people, myself included, have a hard time reasoning with how this story is possible because we assume that doctors are males.  I have heard conversation after conversation discussing the problem.  It’s his stepfather, grandfather, godfather, see a pattern?  Most of the time all of these options are considered and even more before the simple realization that the doctor can be a woman.  Once this has set in it is quite obvious how this situation is possible.  His mother is the doctor.  A perfectly beautiful case of language and verbal communication and how they often dictate how we think.  There are so many times in case when I think is what we are doing going to make a difference or does it really matter?  This story is a small reminder that communication does matter