Emma and her husband, Richard, had been trying to sleep for nearly three hours, but their neighbor’s dog seemed determined to keep the entire neighborhood awake. Every time they closed their eyes, another burst of barking shattered the silence. Richard had already tried pillows, earplugs, and even moving to the opposite side of the bed. Nothing worked. Finally, Emma threw off the blankets and announced that she was going downstairs to solve the problem once and for all. Richard watched her disappear, wondering what she could possibly do at that hour.

Several minutes later, Emma returned with a strangely satisfied smile. Richard immediately noticed that something was different, although the barking outside hadn’t stopped. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and asked whether she had spoken to the neighbors. Emma shook her head confidently. “No, darling. I found a much better solution.” Richard looked confused and asked what she meant. She leaned against the pillows, clearly pleased with herself, and prepared to explain exactly what she had done.