Often a thought rolls around in one part of our brains, gently poking at this or that and making logical transitions then surprise! Something is said or happens that INSTANTLY RIPS the thought into pieces and electric currents rush across barriers into new brain areas and pop out unrelated stuff. It almost hurts.

Sometimes adults forget surprises aren’t always bad so in my book ‘Eagles and Banana Peels’ a grandfather tries to teach this to others, although he doesn’t learn it very well himself.

I miss heard my deaf neighbors and thought the man across the street was a brain surgeon. But he lived in a tiny little house so I wondered for years if he’d gotten sued so many times he now had to live across the street from me. Then I found out he hadn’t been in the hospital operating on people, he’d been there being operated on.

Another good example happened yesterday as I photographed John’s friend. He needed the picture for the inside back cover of the book he’d just finished writing. The purpose of the book was to answer questions his son had often asked. The author was stiff and uncomfortable so we put his dog on his lap. As I was snapping away the man stiffened up again so I asked about his son. He loosened up as he talked then ran out of words and became board- like again.

He shifted his dog into a new position as I asked, “What’s his name?” He answered, “Scruffy.”  My mind panicked as I empathized with his son, that poor boy and as I tried to shift from son to dog node.  nancymauerman.com

Harry the Brain Surgeon – Framed