"Ew! What is that smell?" Laurel asked.
"It's Barley's shoes! They really stink!" Ian said.
"Barley, why do you have such stinky shoes?" Laurel asked.
"Well, I've had them for a very long time," said Barley.
"Well, then!" said Laurel. "Maybe you need some different shoes!"
"I don't have any other shoes," Barley said.
"UGH! That's it!" Laurel said. "When we go to the mall, you WILL be buying a new pair of shoes!"
"I can't afford anything new right now!" Barley whined. "I'm still trying to pay off my hospital bills!"
"If you don't buy new shoes, you won't be allowed to live in this house anymore!" Laurel said.
Barley sighed. "Okay, fine…"
At the mall, Barley went to the store and picked out a new pair of shoes.
"Hey, Mom. Do you like my new shoes?" he asked.
"NO!" Laurel said.
"What? Why not?" Barley asked.
"Those are dad shoes!" Laurel said.
"Uh… what does that mean?" Barley asked.
"Only a dad would wear shoes like that!" Laurel explained. "You're not a dad, so you shouldn't wear them."
"Oh? But I really like them…" Barley said.
"Well, I don't!" Laurel said. "You need to return them to the store and get another pair!"
"I don't want another pair! I want this one!" Barley said. "You see… it's funny that you called them dad shoes. Because they reminded me of Dad, and I wanted to be more like him."
"You're nothing like him, and you never will be!" Laurel snapped.
"Well… uh… I…" Barley said.
"Those are very cool shoes!" Ian said. "I think that they will look great on him!"
"Well… okay," Laurel said. "Fine. He can keep them."
"Yay!" Barley said.
"I want shoes like that, too!' Ian said. "Can I get a pair?"
"No," said Laurel.
"Aw, man!" Ian said. "Why not?"
"I have a better idea," said Laurel. "You can wear your dad's actual shoes."