Alfie Gets in First Quotes

“Annie Rose was hungry as well as tired. She began to cry. Then Alfie began to cry too. He didn’t like being all by himself on the wrong side of the door.”

“Then Mum was outside the door, holding Annie Rose, and Alfie was inside with the shopping. Mum’s key was inside too. ‘Open the door, Alfie,’ said Mum. But Alfie didn’t know how to open the door from the inside.”

“But then Mrs MacNally’s Maureen had a very good idea. She ran to ask the window cleaner, who was working up the street, if he would bring his ladder and climb up to the bathroom window. And, of course, when the window cleaner heard about Alfie he came hurrying along with his ladder as quickly as he could.”

“The front door suddenly opened and there was Alfie. He had managed to reach the catch and turn it-like that- after all. He was very pleased with himself. He opened the front door as wide as it would go and stood back grandly to let everybody in.”

” ‘Go and fetch your little chair from the sitting room and then you’ll be able to reach the catch,’ said Mum. But Alfie didn’t try to fetch his little chair. He just went on crying, louder and louder, and Annie Rose cried louder and louder too.”

“Mrs MacNally’s Maureen was a big girl. Right away she came and joined Mum and Annie Rose and Mrs MacNally on the top step. ‘Mmm, might have to break a window,’ she said. ‘But I’ll try to climb up the drain-pipe first, if you like.’ “

“Mum put the shopping down in the hall and went back down the steps to lift Annie Rose out of her push chair. But what do you think Alfie did then? He gave the door a great big slam- BANG! Just like that.”