Josh had spent an entire week training his four friends to become professional thieves.
Well, “training” was a generous word.
Josh had delivered motivational speeches, Steve had slept through them, Kiran had calculated their future earnings, Jamal had questioned every plan, and Raju had attended mainly for the snacks.
Yet Josh believed they were ready.
One evening, he gathered everyone beneath their usual banyan tree.
“Friends, I've found our first target!” he announced proudly.
Kiran immediately sat up. “How rich is he?”
“He owns a huge house, several cars, and he's preparing for his daughter's wedding.”
Raju's eyes lit up. “A wedding? There'll be food!”
Josh stared at him. “We're going there for money, not food!”
The Foolish Thief Crew Episode 2: Five Thieves and Five Buckets
“Money won't fill my stomach, boss.”
Steve nodded. “For once, Raju makes sense.”
Josh ignored them and opened his notebook.
“Our mission begins at midnight. We'll travel to the neighbouring village and return as rich men.”
Jamal raised an eyebrow. “And what if we get caught?”
“Don't think negatively!”
“Fine. What if we get caught positively?”
Josh slammed his notebook shut.
“Tomorrow, I'm training you in how to keep your mouth shut!”
“Excellent,” Steve replied. “Can we skip the physical training? My body isn't ready for this career.”
“Your body isn't ready for walking to the tea stall!” Josh snapped.
At midnight, the five friends assembled outside Josh's house. They were dressed in dark clothes, hoping to look like professionals.
Steve arrived carrying biscuits.
Josh frowned. “Why the biscuits?”
“Emergency supplies.”
“For what emergency?”
“Hunger. It's the only emergency I take seriously.”
Raju arrived last, wearing one slipper and one shoe.
Josh stared at his feet.
“What's that?”
Raju looked down. “Oh! I must have been in a hurry.”
“Were you in a hurry or half asleep?”
“Both.”
Josh decided that asking further questions would only waste time.
The five friends set off for the neighbouring village. At 12:45 a.m., they finally reached the rich man's enormous house.
Josh pointed towards it with pride.
“There it is! Our first big opportunity.”
Steve stared at the mansion.
“Boss, are you sure we should start with such a big house?”
“Of course! Think big!”
Jamal examined the building. “I was thinking we should start by thinking at all.”
“Not another word!”
Despite their confident speeches, the five friends suddenly became nervous. They had spent a week discussing how to become thieves, but none of them had imagined what it would actually feel like to stand outside a stranger's house in the middle of the night.
Josh whispered, “Everyone, stay calm and follow me.”
Steve leaned towards him. “Are you calm?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then why are your knees shaking?”
“It's a new training technique!”
Before Steve could question this remarkable discovery, a light switched on inside the house.
All five froze.
A door opened, and a middle-aged servant stepped outside with a torch.
“HEY! WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?”
The five friends stood motionless.
Josh opened his mouth to answer, but no words came out.
The servant looked at them for a moment. Then he suddenly slapped his forehead.
“Oh! Now I remember! I called some cleaners yesterday. You're the people who came to clean the bathrooms before the wedding, aren't you?”
The five friends exchanged confused looks.
Josh had no idea what to say.
Then Raju nodded enthusiastically.
“Yes, sir!”
Josh nearly fainted.
The servant smiled. “Good! You're late already. The wedding is tomorrow, and there's so much work left. Come inside!”
He turned and walked towards the house.
The five friends remained where they were.
Steve whispered, “Boss, what do we do?”
Josh swallowed. “Follow my lead.”
“What lead? You haven't even spoken!”
“Would you rather explain to him why we're standing here dressed like thieves?”
Steve considered this.
“Your leadership is improving, boss. Let's go.”
And just like that, the most foolish thieves in the village entered a rich man's house—not to steal, but to work.
Five Thieves and Five Buckets
The servant led them to a row of bathrooms and handed each man a bucket, a brush, and cleaning supplies.
“Clean these first. Then the guest rooms, the corridor, and the wedding hall. Everything must be ready before morning!”
Josh stared at the servant.
“All of it?”
The servant frowned. “Did you come here to work or to count the rooms?”
“No, sir. We'll start immediately!”
Once the servant left, Steve slowly turned towards Josh.
“Boss, I have a small doubt.”
“What?”
“Are we thieves or cleaning staff?”
Josh gripped his brush.
“Right now, Steve, we're whatever keeps us out of trouble!”
Jamal picked up his bucket.
“We wanted to earn money without working. Somehow, we've managed to work without earning money.”
Kiran sighed. “This is the worst business decision in history.”
Raju looked towards the corridor. “At least we might get breakfast.”
Josh pointed his brush at him.
“If you ask for breakfast, I'll make you clean every bathroom twice!”
Raju immediately began scrubbing.
“Understood, boss. I suddenly love working.”
For the next few hours, the five friends cleaned bathrooms, swept corridors, and wiped floors.
Every time they thought they had finished, the servant appeared with another job.
“Now clean the guest rooms!”
Josh forced a smile. “Of course, sir!”
Ten minutes later, the servant returned.
“Excellent! Now arrange the chairs in the wedding hall.”
Josh's smile disappeared.
Steve leaned against his mop.
“Boss, I think we've been promoted.”
“To what?” Josh asked miserably.
“From bathroom cleaners to full-time servants!”
Jamal laughed so hard that he nearly dropped his bucket.
Even Josh wanted to laugh, but his back hurt too much.
By six in the morning, the house was spotless, the wedding hall was ready, and the five friends looked as if they had personally fought a war against every bathroom in the village.
The servant approached them with a satisfied smile.
“Excellent work, boys! The owner will be very happy.”
Josh managed a tired nod.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Now, help me move these tables.”
Josh stared at him.
“More work?”
The servant looked surprised. “Of course! The wedding guests will arrive soon.”
As the servant walked away, Steve put a hand on Josh's shoulder.
“Boss, I've made an important decision.”
Josh sighed. “What now?”
“I never want to become rich again.”
Josh looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because being poor is much easier. Nobody makes you clean twenty bathrooms!”
Kiran nodded. “I agree. We should find a business that requires no work.”
Jamal smiled. “We've been searching for that business our entire lives.”
Raju suddenly raised his hand.
“I've found one!”
Everyone turned towards him.
“What is it?” Josh asked hopefully.
“Eating.”
Steve stared at him.
“Raju, that's not a business!”
“It is for restaurants. People pay them to eat!”
For a moment, nobody had an answer.
Then Jamal shook his head.
“We're doomed.”
The Next Mission
The five friends finally left the mansion, exhausted and empty-handed.
They had earned no money, stolen nothing, and worked harder in one night than they had in years.
Josh, however, refused to admit defeat.
“Friends, tonight was just a small setback. Our next mission will be much better.”
Steve stopped walking.
“Next mission? Josh, we came here to steal money and ended up cleaning toilets!”
“Keep your voice down!”
“Why? Are you worried the bathrooms will hear us and ask us to come back?”
Jamal burst out laughing.
Josh pointed at all four of them.
“Just wait. Next time, I'll make a perfect plan.”
Kiran looked worried. “Does your perfect plan involve cleaning?”
“No!”
Raju smiled hopefully. “Does it involve food?”
Josh closed his eyes.
“I should have become a farmer.”
Steve patted him on the back.
“You'd have to wake up early, boss.”
Josh immediately changed his mind.
“Forget farming. We'll stick to our original plan.”
The four friends exchanged doubtful looks.
Their leader had learned absolutely nothing.
And somewhere in the village, Josh was already preparing for their next great disaster.
To be continued wait for next episode ....................