Gundopant's first brush with the dark side

For much of his first 2 years in this country, when most people thought of Gundopant, they thought of a wiry guy, wearing an oversized cap & huge glares that covered most of his face, riding a red bike at break neck speed. He probably did a few things other than rush around as mentioned above, but that was the vision of Gundopant that was most enduring.

One day Gundopant unlocked the bike from the tree he chained it to in his yard and went into his room to pick his bag up and put on his jacket.This done, he looked out of the window and it was gone!! Gundopant could not believe his eyes. He had heard of bike thieves and their exploits but this was too quick. Also the wheel of the bike was locked to the body, there is no way someone could have ridden it away. He looked at his neighbours yard and there was no sign that anything was amiss. Tammy strolled up purring to give Gundopant company for morning tea as was their daily habit. Gundopant looked enquiringly but Tammy didnt indicate she'd seen anything strange. "You are late, I have to leave" said Gundopant looking up the tree foolishly just in case his bike had a few capabilities he was not aware of. He couldnt think of what else could have happened. His room mates came out and they drove up and down the street a few times looking for clues, Gundopant calling out to his bike once or twice and hastily choking the sound in case his roomates started questioning his sanity. No avail, no trace of the bike ...
Gundopant dejectedly decided to call off the search after a while and get on with life. It was hard. Gundopant felt like his favourite pet was gone. He wondered where the bike was right now and if it was being treated well. His first companion in his adventures in this country had been rudely taken away from him.
While he was walking back from school that day, a man stopped him and without introduction said "I'll help you if you help me". He beckoned to Gundopant to follow him. Gundopant instantly knew it was about his bike. He was all attention though trying to mask his interest. "I know where the guy who stole it hid your bike. But he'll be really cross if he found out I told on him." Gundopant was not sure what to make of the story but he smelt getting back his bike at the end of it. After they had walked about 5 minutes, he stopped and pointed to some brush. Gundopant give him an onerous look and retrieved his bike from the bush. Ok thanks, thats nice of you, said Gundopant noticing the dents in the body where someone had tried to break the lock and failed. "I'll help you if you help me remember? ... 60$. After all I am telling on my friend to help you." That's big of you said Gundopant summoning all the bargaining skills he had gathered in Bombay, you can keep the bike. "Come on" said the bum, "I know you really need it." A hostage situation thoguht Gundopant, involving a bum, me and a bike!
5 mins later, it was down to 40$. Gundopant was getting tired. "Alright... 35$" said the bum with a gracious smile. Without another Word, Gundopant opened his wallet. "Check Ok?". "Sure" said the bum. Gundopant handed it over and walked away with his bike aware that he had probably paid the thief to get his own bike back. But he didnt care. The bike was worth more to him that that. The bum probably knew it too.