In the August sun, it's unbearably hot in my car. I'm in Vancouver, approaching the Knight Street Bridge as I try to get home after work. It's 5:15 pm. Traffic is already slowing down and then it comes to a full stop. I'm stuck even before getting on the bridge.
This has become my normal work commute (上下班往返) routine. Ahead of me is a heavily jammed on-ramp (匝道). I stare at the endless rows of vehicles, depressed.
At first I think this is not how it looks. The traffic will soon start moving. Seconds pass. Minutes pass. Looking at the rows of cars and trucks glittering (闪光) in the sun, I start counting — 299, 300, 301 — and I give up.
Suddenly I remember I'm one of the 300 helpless drivers. But I stay alert (警觉的). When the cars do move, I move carefully, making sure not to bump into other vehicles. Finally, I make it onto the bridge. The traffic is still crawling at a snail's pace. Tired and hungry, I become very anxious.
Just then, I hear a weak sound in the distance. The sound gradually becomes louder, until I can identify it as an ambulance approaching from behind. What do we do? The bridge is packed. There's no room for us to move.
But I'm wrong. Every single car quickly, yet carefully, moves to the side. Without thinking, I follow suit. The lane remains open for a few seconds during which the ambulance flashes through.
Afterward, every car moves back. We close up the emergency lane, ready to continue our patient wait. Back in my spot, I'm awestruck. I forget my tiredness and hunger. My anxiety is gone. I start reflecting upon what 300 fellow drivers and I just did.
How did we do that? Despite our exhaustion, we collectively decided to help the stranger who needed the time more desperately than we did. We drew on our sympathy and intelligence, requiring no directives.
Although I may seem alone stuck on the bridge, I'm connected to all the other drivers. Together we could make the impossible possible.
