(Strip Number 4239, Original Publication Date, 5 October 1982)
Panel 1: We start things off with Elly huddled over her typewriter; as she ticka-tacka-tappas away, Mike asks her if she's busy to which Elly replies 'Yup'. His asking if she's working gets a mildly huffy 'Uh-huh' for an answer.
Panel 2: His asking if she's typing? huh? for that paper? causes her to yell "YES! YES! YES! MICHAEL!!!"
Panel 3: As he walks off, his eyes are bulged out in confusion as he says "Boy! I can't even ask a simple question!"
Panel 4: Elly tells no one in particular that it's the simple questions that drive her crazy.
Summary: This sort of puts paid to Mike being some sort of genius, doesn't it? A child of average or above-average intelligence would have picked up on the fact that Mommy can only concentrate on one thing at a time long ago. As a matter of fact, I remember a strip that had teenaged Liz realize that Elly is flat-out wrong to say that multi-tasking is impossible.