Chapter 0:
Its that time of the year where it gets cold and wet again, so the McCourts move upstairs again. Due to the weather, Angela gets feverish and demands lemonade. Because of this demand, Frank goes out and steals two bottles of lemonade from a crate outside of Souths pub and a loaf of bread from a van parked outside OConnells grocery store. Frank fabricates a story around the theft to amuse his brothers, to which Michael says that Frank is an outlaw while Malachy compares him to Robin Hood. The day after, Frank steals a full crate of food from a rich neighbourhood. But they have no fire to cook the food. So they go around the rich areas of town asking for turf or coal, but no one gives them even a bit. So they go stealing again, now from peoples backyards. A guard comes to the McCourt home to
ask why the boys have been absent from school. The official tells Frank to get his grandmother and aunt, who then ask for a doctor. The doctor diagnoses Franks mother with pneumonia and takes her to the hospital. The boys stay with aunt Aggie. In contrast to Pa Keating, who is kind to the boys, aunt Aggie abuses the boys. Frank writes a letter to his father about how his mom is in the hospital, so Malachy returns home to look after them. But the day after Angela gets home from the hospital, Malachy leaves again. Malachy has only sent one paycheque home, so Angela goes back to the Dispensary to ask for public assistance. Their situation makes Frank sad, which soon turns into despair after seeing his mother begging for food outside a church. Hes ashamed of his mother, he cant even look at her anymore.