An old man who lived in a small side street in the city of Mumbai had to put up with the nuisance of having boys play cricket outside his house, at night.
One evening when the boys were particularly noisy he went out to talk to them.
He explained that he was a pensioner who was happiest when he could see or hear boys playing his favourite game, cricket.
He said he would give them 25 rupees each week to play in the street at night.
The boys were thrilled.
They were being paid to do something they enjoyed!
At the end of the first week they knocked at the old man’s house and asked to be paid. He did so.
The second week when they asked for payment he said he had run out of money and sent them away with only 15 rupees.
The third week the man said he had not yet received his pension and gave them only 10 rupees.
The boys were very disappointed but there was not much they could do about it.
The fourth week the man said he could not afford to pay them 25 rupees as he had promised, but would give them 5 rupees each week without fail.
This was too much for the boys. “You expect us to play seven days a week for a measly 5 rupees!” they yelled. “Go to blazes.”
They stormed away and never played on the street again.