Me: Autumn is a beautiful time of year, isn’t it? ‘Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness.’
Nell: Here we go.
Me: That’s a quote from one of my favourite poems called ‘To Autumn’ by John Keats.
Nell: It was extremely misty a few days ago.
Me: Even though the nights are drawing in and the days are shorter there is still warmth in the turning of the leaves.
Nell: I think everything is still surprisingly green.
Me: Yes, it’s only just beginning. There is so much more to come.
Nell: When you’ve finally finished waxing lyrical, there’s something we need to discuss.
Me: I’m all ears.
Nell: You’re not, but it’s funny you should mention fruitfulness because it’s about apples.
Me: Did Herr Hoffmann ever make that apple crumble? Only, I never got to taste any of it and I was really looking forward to an autumn pudding.
Nell: Nobody did.
Me: What do you mean?
Nell: It disappeared.
Me: Oh dear. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
Nell: David has been Eating A Lot By Mistake recently.
Me: He has.
Nell: But he usually leaves a clean bowl.
Me: True.
Nell: And the bowl has gone, too.
Me: Curiouser and curiouser. Is the custard still there?
Nell: I don’t know. Why?
Me: It would be interesting to know if the thief likes their crumble with custard, or cream.
Nell: Would it?
Me: Yes. If they’ve taken the custard it’s premeditated.
Nell: Is it?
Me: You might grab a crumble in a mad panic but if you go back for the custard, or cream, you’ve thought about it.
Nell: Crumble needs something with it.
Me: I suspect The Crumble Thief agrees.
Nell: The Crumble Thief?
Me: I’m guessing this isn’t the first crumble they’ve stolen.
Nell: Good grief.
Me: Sorry.
