Lesson 27: I Can't Come In

Anna: Hello! I am sure that today, in Washington, D.C,. there are a lot of great things to do. But I am not doing any of them. I am sick. Right now, I'm going to call my boss and tell her I cannot come in to work.

Caty: Hello?

Anna: Ms. Weaver, Hi. I can’t come to work today.

Caty: Why not? What is wrong?

Anna: Well, yesterday I felt fine.

Anna: In the morning, I painted for hours. In the afternoon, I cut wood. Then, I built a fire.

Caty: Anna, what do you mean? Why can’t you come to work today?

Anna: I do not feel well. I think I’m sick.

Caty: I’m sorry to hear that. I was sick last week, too. I had the flu.

Anna: (sneezes) What did you do?

Caty: I slept a lot and I drank a lot of water. Do you have a doctor?

Anna: Yes, I do.

Caty: You should call your doctor. And get lots of rest!

Anna: Thanks, Ms. Weaver. I’ll call right now. I'm calling my doctor.

Dr. Bennett: (to herself) Now, where does this thing go?

Dr. Bennett: Hello. This is Dr. Bennett. How can I help you?

Anna: Hello, Dr. Bennett. This is Anna.

Dr. Bennett: Oh, Hi, Anna. How can I help you?

Anna: I think I’m sick.

Dr. Bennett: Let me ask you a couple of questions. Do you have a sore throat?

Anna: Yes. I have a sore throat.

Dr. Bennett: Do you have a cough?

Anna: Yes. I have a cough.

Dr. Bennett: When did you start feeling sick?

Anna: This morning. Yesterday I felt great. In the morning I painted, for hours - in the afternoon I cut wood -

Dr. Bennett: Excuse me, Anna. But I don’t need to know all that. Do you have a fever?

Anna: Oh. My thermometer says 125 degrees?! What??

Dr. Bennett: Yeah, that’s not right.

Anna: Oh. Wait. The thermometer was in my hot cup of coffee.

Dr. Bennett: Please take it again, Anna.

Anna: Okay, the thermometer says 100.5 degrees.

Dr. Bennett: 100.5 degrees is not too high. I want you to drink lots of water. Rest in bed and get lots of sleep.

Anna: That is what my boss said to do. Um, Dr. Bennett, when can I go to work?

Dr. Bennett: Don’t go to work for a couple of days.

Anna: Yes! I mean, I don’t want to make my co-workers sick.

Dr. Bennett: That’s right. Call me back in a couple of days.

Anna: I will, Dr. Bennett. And thanks.

Anna: Well, you heard the doctor – no work for a couple of days. I need water, sleep and um … lots of movies! Well, the doctor didn’t say anything about movies. But it can’t hurt! Until next time!