In the courtyard of a 100 year old building live Malgudi’s odd trio-Pachai the blind beggar (whose eyesight is as sharp as a razor), Kuppan the rickshaw cyclist and Kali the coolie. His one weakness is children. And the school opposite is his haven He never mingles with the kids- always keeping distance from them. And so the three eke out a living from day to day till the child-lover gets an opportunity to earn some big money at the local ration store. Feigning illness to his friend, he summons up the courage to buy sweets for the children. At school – break, he approaches them. Being children, they cannot refuse his tempting offer and soon there is commotion all over the place. Some passers – by mistake him for a kidnapper and within no time, rumors about him are rife. A large crowd chases him till he finds refuge in a stranger’s house. An exhausted Kali tries to escape, but of no avail. The police arrive and apprehend him. Kali has got himself landed in hospital, shorn and shaven. His friend on a consolation visit, suggest he can go back to his old ways as no one will recognize the new, hairless Kali.