Chapter 5, Smash a Little Windowpane Summary

Even while making the fateful decision to grow no more, Oskar realized that adults must be given a reason for such unusual behavior. Otherwise, they would act in strange and uncomfortable ways, dragging you to doctors and calling you retarded. Walking out of the room where the neighbors congregated around a birthday cake with three candles, Oskar wanders into the first floor shop. He notices that the trap door to the basement is open. Matzerath had gone down to get a can of mixed fruit from the store room, and forgotten to close it. Oskar carefully carries his drum down the stairs and lodges it amongst the flour sacks. The he climbs back up to the ninth stair and flings himself toward the bottom, coming to rest with a loud crash, toppling a shelf of...