Leg trap

Dhira was a shoeshine boy. He lost his father when
he was very young and now lived in a jhuggi with his
mother and sister. Dhira was a hard working boy.
After school, he would sit near a cinema hall and polish
shoes for a living.
One day it was very hot. Dhira sat under a tree
counting his day's earnings and humming a popular
tune when he overheard a passerby. "A thief has just
escaped from the jewellery shop."
Dhira stopped counting. He quickly put his money
back in his pocket and asked the passerby, "When?
Where?"
"Just now. He stole a gold necklace and managed
to run away. They say he has a beard." So saying the
passerby went on his way.
Dhira was about to go towards the jewellery shop
to find out more details when a customer accosted
him.

"Boy, polish my shoes nicely. There's no hurry,"
he said looking at his wristwatch.
The customer was wearing a blue suit and a red
tie. He looked like a rich man.
Dhira sat down immediately to polish his shoes,
though his mind was still on the theft.
The man first put his left shoe on the stand. With

his yellow cloth, Dhira dusted the shoe quickly. Then

he opened a tin, took out some polish and spread it on

the shoe with his brush. He worked fast. He rubbed

in the polish and started shining the shoe. 

Through the corner of his eye, Dhira saw two

policemen approaching. He was eager to ask them

about the theft, but the customer seemed to have lost

his temper. 

"You, silly chap! You're not doing your job well",he cried glancing 

quickly at the policeman. "Polish my shoes, till they shine. There are still

 five more minutes for the show to be over." 

Dhira was badly shaken. 'He must be an influential man. He may even 

complain about me to the policemen,' he thought. So he concentrated 

his attention on polishing the shoe. 

As soon as he was done with the left shoe, Dhira

said, "The other shoe, sir." 

The man put his other foot on the stand.

"Hurry up, fellow, there are only two more minutes 

for the show to begin."

'Funny!' Dhira said to himself. 'A moment ago he 

was in no hurry, but now he is in a great hurry.'

Dhira dusted the shoe quickly and applied some 

polish to it. As he was about to shine it with a cloth,

he found something sticking out of it at the back. 

'What can it be?' Dhira wondered. He bent his head

to take a closer look. 'My goodness!' 

"That'll do boy. It's time," the man said taking

his foot off the stand. 

Dhira continued to shine the shoe with the cloth,

while the man fumbled in his wallet for change. 

The boy quickly tied the ends of the laces of the

two shoes and got up without taking the coin the man

held out. 

As he rushed to the policeman, he could hear the

man yelling, "You rogue, I'll get you! But what's

happening?" 

The man fell flat on his face when he tried to walk.

While he was struggling to get up, Dhira was back

with the two policemen. They caught hold of him. 

Yes, he was the jewel thief!

The gold necklace was found in his shoe and his 

'beard' in his pocket. He was taken to the police

station. 

Of course, Dhira was praised for his presence of

mind. He was also rewarded by the police and by the 

jeweller. His school, too, honoured him with a medal

for his bravery.