My school had taken us to the State Bank Museum as part of its educational field trip programme. I was on cloud nine, as I had a keen interest in finance and how the commerce and banking system operate. My friends had brought snacks for the trip and we enjoyed them along with constant giggles and commotion. The view was mesmerising as we passed the beach, watching the waves seamlessly crash into the sand.

As we reached our destination, my eyes immediately locked onto the massive building. It was a fine piece of stone and brick, with the marble shimmering in the distance. I noticed the lead used for the windows and the concrete shaping the entrance. According to the guide, the materials used in designing and building this colossal structure had been imported from England and Italy decades ago and had been well preserved ever since.

The air conditioner’s cool air greeted us as we entered the museum’s premises. The guide showed us a presentation about money and how it had evolved over the decades. After that, we were escorted to a room with large paintings.

They resembled Roman mosaics and contained a great deal of colour and detail. I learnt that the paintings explained how commerce worked in ancient times through barter trading and then gold. Agriculture was also visible in the paintings, highlighting its significance, and then modern-day banknotes and vaults were also depicted. We looked at a few other paintings, but quickly began to feel listless, as did the others; only a true artist could comprehend and appreciate the effort put into them, which we were not.

Moving on, we entered a room filled with glass cases. They contained numerous coins of various colours and sizes. Different figures were engraved on them and they looked fascinating. Alongside them were ancient forms of money, such as seashells, miniature clay tablets and so on.

“These are ancient relics spanning from the kingdoms in India, such as the Guptas and Dravidians, to the Muslim and Mongol empires,” explained the guide.

I scanned the cases, pondering how each ruler was so eager to have their face minted on the coins of their kingdoms. I came across old banknotes as well, dating back to the time the British ruled India. The banknotes had pictures of King George of England on them and I felt as if I had teleported back in time, especially since the interior of the museum also resembled a British building from the post–World War II era.

The guide then led us to a hall decorated with stamps and posters collected over the past century. Looking at posters and stamps doesn’t really float my boat, so I slipped out of the crowd.

Suddenly, something peculiar caught my attention. Bizarre sounds were echoing from a room and curiosity gripped me. I made my way towards it. A person was inside, their face obscured by a veil. I was puzzled as to whether the figure was male or female, but I was determined to uncover their identity. Just then, I couldn’t control myself and sneezed.

The figure spun around and noticed me. I held my composure, keeping my eyes locked on the mysterious person, and spotted a rope within my reach. My heart began racing, yet I steadied myself and flung the rope at the individual’s feet, causing them to trip. The veil came off and, dumbfounded, I scratched my head briefly.

It was Elvis Presley standing there, staring at me!

“That man died decades ago… so how could he be right before my eyes?” I wondered.

Immediately, I smelt rubber and understood what had transpired. Without thinking twice, I yanked at his face. He resisted, but due to my dogged persistence, he had nowhere to run.

After relentless effort, I managed to pull the mask off and before me stood the manager of the bank. My jaw dropped.

My school teachers and students, along with the security, had gathered as I had caused quite a commotion. The manager was arrested on the spot and after a few inquiries, the police informed our school that he had been after the ancient relics. He had calculated their approximate worth ever since he assumed office. The value ran into the billions, and he was planning to steal it all under the guise of being manager.

The security forces and museum staff thanked me, and my school was notified that the executive board, as well as I, had been invited to the capital for a state dinner celebrating this remarkable achievement. I was to be awarded a medal and recognised as a national hero.

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 6th, 2025