Dominic Capo, the sixteen-year-old son of Rocco Capo, has become very attracted to Karuna Movvagh, the fifteen-year-old daughter of Rami Movvagh. They met in P.E. class, and Dominic has asked Karuna to the Valentine's Dance. Karuna would like to go, but she has reported to Dominic that her parents have absolutely forbidden her from seeing Dominic. Dominic thinks that if he could just have some time alone with Karuna, the two of them could figure out a solution. As is usually the case when he needs some advice and help. Dominic has sought the counsel of his eccentric neighbor, Mr. Patrick O'Shaughnessy. Dominic has always enjoyed talking to Mr. O'Shaughnessy. Although Mr. O'Shaughnessy is middle aged, he seems to understand teens and he is not judgmental.
Mr. O'Shaughnessy runs a small herbal medicine business out of his home, where he grows a wide variety of plants in an enclosed patio area. He earns a modest second income through catalog sales, which he markets under the name "Paddy O'Shaman." When Dominic told Mr. O'Shaughnessy about his problem, he first advised that Dominic and Karuna should do what their parents have requested and wait until they are older before they develop a relationship. Dominic, however, was not satisfied with the response and pleaded for another solution. He told Mr. O'Shaughnessy, "I wish you had some medicine right here from your patio that could solve my problem."
Mr. O'Shaughnessy then hatched this unusual plan: He could prepare a powder extract from the seeds of a pepper plant. When taken with water, the powder with produce a low grade fever which will last for about an hour. If the two young persons took the pepper seed powder at school at a designated time, they would display symptoms of illness and could obtain passes to the nurse. After seeing that they each had a fever, and after contacting a parent of each student, the nurse would allow them to go home. Karuna and Dominic could take their time going home and could talk about their plans for attending the dance. Even if they found no solution to their problem with parents, they would at least have some time alone.
Should Karuna and Dominic follow Mr. O'Shaughnessy's suggestion? As you work in your group to decide what to do in this situation, complete the following steps:
1. List the possible courses of action that Karuna and Dominic could take.
2. What are the possible advantages and disadvantages that could result from each course of action?
3. What course of action could solve the problem in the most constructive way? Why?
4. What course of action would be the most destructive? Why would you characterize the choice as destructive?
5. Compose a letter to Karuna and Dominic. Explain what you understand the current problem to be. Let them know that you've thought about the problem by identifying several actions they could take. Identify the best course of action, and explain why it is the best in the sense that it will offer the most benefits and the fewest disadvantages.
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