Paula:Okay, I'm off to bed.
Marcus:Wait a second. Where are you going with all of those pill bottles?
Paula:My doctor prescribed a couple of medications to help me sleep.
Marcus:Let me see those.
You have four different medications here.
This is a painkiller, this is a sedative, this is a tranquilizer, and this is a stimulant.
Paula:I don't take that last one when I go to bed.
Marcus:You mean you take the first three every night?
Paula:Not every night.
Marcus:I can't believe that your doctor would prescribe all three of these medications just to help you sleep.
This seems like overkill.
Paula:I saw more than one doctor. They each gave me a different prescription.
Marcus:How do you know they won't interact and produce side effects?
Paula:A doctor prescribed each one. I'm sure they're safe.
Marcus:Yes, but does the left hand know what the right hand is doing?
I'm confiscating these until you can talk to a doctor or pharmacist to make sure you won't overdose by taking all three of these at one time.
Paula:But how will I fall asleep until then?
Marcus:You're always telling me how boring I am.
I'll just regale you with stories of my youth.
Let's start at the beginning. My earliest memory is...
