Pamela and Dori were sisters and lived next door to each oth…
Pamela and Dori were sisters and lived next door to each other. Dori was very athletic and had a busy life due to her college studies and her workouts with her teammates on the UCLS women’s softball team. However, she still enjoyed the time she had with her sister and family and were bargaining and making deals with each other. For over a year, the sisters had arranged where every other Saturday evening, Dori would come over and babysit Pamela’s 2-year-old girl Sally and 4-year-old boy Sam so that Pamela and her husband could go out together on a date night. In exchange, Pamela would pay Dori $80 for four hours, along with the ability to use their indoor whirlpool tub. On a rare free day, Dori invited her sister over to dinner to talk. Upon Pamela’s arrival, Dori immediately gave her a hug and thanked her for putting her kitchen table together. “You know you’re much handier than I am,” Dori gushed, “I didn’t even have to ask—You just put this table together for me yesterday, thank you so much!” Dori offered to pay her $50 for putting her kitchen table together. “When you get some extra time, could you also please put together the new batting cage I just purchased? As a token of my appreciation for you as my dear sister, I will give you an additional $50 if you do that for me.” Pamela said that she would look at her schedule and get back to her. As they were washing dishes together after dinner, Dori mentioned that because Sam and Sally had become more difficult to baby sit lately, she wanted Pamela to increase her payment to $160 for four hours of babysitting Sam and Sally, instead of $80. “They’re really not that bad,” Pamela replied. “Alright, if you agree not to send any text messages while you are driving for a month, then I will pay you the $160. For months, I’ve been reminding you that it’s against state law to send text messages while you’re driving but you seem to think it’s fine to do that anyway.” Dori shook her sister’s hand and said, “You have a deal.” A week later, Dori showed up unannounced at Pamela’s house and was so excited that she kept ringing the doorbell several times before Peggy opened the door. “What is it?” Pamela asked as she opened the door. “The UCLS women’s softball team that I’m on just qualified to go to the Women’s College World Series! I will receive one free guest pass, and I promise you as soon as I receive it, I will give it to you. It’s important to me that you come see me play!” When Pamela learned that the game was only a week away, on Thursday and Friday, she told Dori she really wanted to come but she worked both days and it was a busy work season for her as she was an accountant. However, she promised to talk to her boss and see if she could take time off work for the two days. “It’s a chance of a lifetime,” Dori replied, “I really want you to be there when we win!” Pamela spoke to her boss and got the time off, even though it cost her $600 because her boss would not let her use her vacation time. When she didn’t hear back from Dori, Pamela called her and was upset to learn that Dori no longer had the free ticket because she had already given it to her best friend. Question 1: Discuss the issues related to the deals Pamela and Dori made with each other. Question 2: Discuss any legal theory Pamela may have to sue her sister Dori.
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