She had planted him down in front of the television screen and turned the dial to his favourite cartoons. She kissed him on the top of his head and left the house. Almost as soon as the front door was closed, Irving got up and sneaked into the kitchen, like a spy on a secret mission. He took hold of a small stool that his mother used to reach for things on the top shelf of various cupboards, and place it in front of the refrigerator. He then carefully climbed up on to the stool, opened the fridge door, and grabbed hold of a bowl of plums resting there.
He stepped down from the stool and placed the bowl on the kitchen table. He clambered up on to a chair and stood facing the bowl. Then he picked up one of the plums and bit into it. Juice squirted out onto his cheeks and on to the table. Ir
