The problem.
– – I think you should deal with this.
– – How so?
– – I’ve already tried. But I’m beginning to lose it.
– – Okay… Just tell me what you want me to do.
– – To do?… I want you to explain to her why she’s got to stay in bed.

Leading up to the problem.
– – Okay… Carl’s in bed, right?
– – Right.
– – So, I’ll just tell Kim she has to stay in bed, too.
– – You know why, right?
– – Carl’s sick.
– – Remember this morning, he felt hot and had an upset stomach.
– – Right.
– – So, after you left, I gave him some Children’s Acetaminophen and put him to bed.
– – Right.
– – But when Kim saw that – the medicine, that is – well, she said she was sick, too, and needed some.
– – She didn’t catch what he had?
– – She saw the medicine and wanted some. It’s cherry flavored.

First solution.
– – She’s in bed now?
– – That’s your job… After I put Carl in bed, she went on so much about being sick like him and wanting the Children’s Acetaminophen…
– – You gave her some?
– – I said, ‘If you’re really sick and you get this, you’ve got to stay in bed, too.’
– – You gave her some?
– – She was persistent… But after she got the medicine, I put her to bed, too.

The problem, altered.
– – She’s still in her room?
– – Well, I’m not sure for how long… After I left her room, I had to clean up what the dog had chewed. While I was in there, it managed to shred a checkerboard and chew some of the checkers…
– – I was hoping to play a game with you later.
– – Well, that’s out… But a little after Kim was in bed, she saw through the window some of her friends playing next door. So, as I was cleaning up, she came out and said she’s all better.
– – So?
– – I told her she’s got to go back to bed till you come and work it out.

Working it out.
– – Solved.
– – How so?… How long were you in there?
– – Look, all she says is she’s better… I explained it one way and another that, if you’re sick, you stay in bed.
– – Okay.
– – I just can’t explain it to her anymore, especially after she said the medicine did the trick.
– – So you’re going to let her out to play with her friends?
– – Yeah… But if you don’t mind, I think I could use some of that Children’s Acetaminophen.
– – You’re a sucker for cherry flavor, huh? It is pretty good.
– – I didn’t say that.
– – You didn’t have to… And I didn’t say that I didn’t finish off the rest of it, either…