Claudia's laundry hung on the line for six days. After four days her roommates started warning her about mold and mildew. "As soon as I bring it in it'll stop raining," Claudia said dolefully. On the seventh day she took it in and the rain broke. "See? What did I tell you?"

"But if bringing in the laundry made the rain stop, you could've had clean dry socks a week ago if you'd just brought it in."

"These things take time," Claudia said philosophically.