Veronica was an only child. Even as a child, she decided that she was going to be a doctor. All her dolls became her patients, and all her dollhouses became hospitals. She spent her early childhood treating her patients for all kinds of diseases and injuries, saving all of them and billing none.
Veronica got straight A's in high school and college to get into a good medical school. She graduated near the top of her class, became a pediatrician, got married, and had two children. Her husband David was an architect and a great cook. Her children did their homework without being told, got straight A's, and ate all their vegetables without complaining. They were perfect, except for one thing: they argued with each other constantly.
One day, Veronica returned home at 4:30 p.m. After greetings, she changed into casual clothes. Her children, Marvin (10) and Rebecca (9), were waiting in the living room to share their day.
Marvin excitedly described dissecting frogs in biology class. "I like biology," he said. "I want to be a biologist, an animal doctor, and an inventor. I'm going to invent a pill so that animals all learn to live together without eating each other all the time."
"You're crazy!" exclaimed Rebecca. "What are the animals going to eat if they don't eat each other?"
"You don't know anything. You're a girl and you're only nine," taunted Marvin.
"Marvin, be polite to your sister," Veronica admonished.
"Yes, ma'am," he said. "I apologize, dear little sister."
"That didn't sound very sincere, mommy," Rebecca complained.
Marvin then elaborated: "The solution is a pill that will make all animals like to eat grass, like cows and sheep. That way no more animals will eat each other, and kids won't have to mow the lawn anymore. So, that will kill two birds with one stone."
"Well, that's very clever," Veronica told Marvin.
Then she turned to Rebecca. "Now, tell us about your day, Rebecca."
"Well, as you know, mommy, I'm going to be a real doctor like you, not a mad scientist like somebody I know," Rebecca started, and then stuck her tongue out at her brother.