For as long as the daughter of a wealthy family can remember, her parents have not tolerated the Slumps. Although the Slumps frequently ask their wealthy neighbors to go wild plum picking with them, the wealthy parents always refuse and disdain those who decide to go along. One day, when the daughter visits the Slumps's house, she realizes the difference between them - the Slumps sit on boxes rather than chairs, their clothes are tattered, and their fields struggling to produce harvest. The next time the Slumps go wild plum picking, they come by to ask the wealthy parents to accompany them, only to receive the typical refusal. The daughter fiercely wants to join them. Her parents forbid her. As the Slumps return happy and red-cheeked the next day, they toss plums off the cart to the daughter. She picks one up from the road and takes a bite, loving the taste. When she brings the rest of the plums inside, her mother tells her not to eat them, as she will hate their sourness. The daughter doesn't listen to her this time.