Basic understand

I asked Emily to pick something up off the floor Saturday. She picked it up and I left the room. A few minutes later, I came back and saw the item was now on the counter. Since it was her's I called her over to explain that I wanted her to not only pick it up, but take action and do whatever was necessary, whether that was to throw it away, or to put it away.
She looked mystified at this concept.

Apparently in her very literal mindset, that concept had not connected. While it was a shock to me at first, it made me chuckle later on.