The Boy who Broke the Bank

• 1. Nathu's Grievance Nathu, a sweeper boy at the Pipalnagar Bank owned by Seth Govind Ram, is sweeping the steps in a very bad mood. It is the twentieth of the month, and the bank has not yet paid his regular salary. He complains to his friend Sitaram, the washerman's son, stating that he plans to quit his job as soon as he gets paid.
• 2. An Innocent Recommendation Sitaram, while delivering clothes, hears that Mrs. Srivastava is looking for a sweeper. Wanting to help his friend, he mentions Nathu to her, explaining that the boy wants to leave his current job because the bank hasn't paid his wages.
• 3. The Rumor Begins Mrs. Srivastava later meets her friend Mrs. Bhushan at the market. She twists Sitaram's innocent information and casually remarks that Seth Govind Ram's bank cannot even afford to pay its employees.
• 4. The News Exaggerates and Spreads Mrs. Bhushan passes the story to her husband, claiming the bank is going bankrupt. The news is then overheard by Kamal Kishore, a photography shop owner, who loudly warns his neighbor, Deep Chand the barber, that the Pipalnagar Bank is about to collapse.
• 5. Panic Strikes the Customers Deep Chand is so shocked by the news that he accidentally nicks his elderly customer's ear with a razor. The panicked customer runs to make a phone call to Seth Govind Ram. Upon finding out the Seth is holidaying in Kashmir, the customer immediately jumps to the conclusion that the Seth has fled the town with everyone's money.
• 6. Wildfire in the Bazaar The rumor spreads through the entire bazaar like a forest fire—reaching tailors, fruit vendors, jewellers, and even beggars. Old Ganpat, a beggar who had a crooked leg and was believed to be unable to walk, astonishingly leaps to his feet and runs toward the bank to withdraw his thousand rupees in savings.
• 7. Chaos and Rioting at the Bank A massive, frantic crowd gathers at the bank demanding their money. Wild stories circulate—some claim the Seth fled the country, while others say he hanged himself from a tree. By noon, the small bank completely runs out of ready cash.
• 8. The Breaking Point The bank manager bravely steps out to calm the crowd, explaining that there is plenty of money but no immediate means to collect it. He asks them to return the next day. The angry mob refuses to listen, chanting "We want it now!", and a rioter throws a brick, shattering the bank's glass window.
• 9. The Irony of the Sweeper Boy The next morning, Nathu arrives to sweep the steps and is horrified by the mess of broken glass and stones. He sits on the steps, waiting for the manager to get his pay, completely unaware that his own casual complaint about his delayed salary was the careless word that caused the bank to break.