D, Leena Parlor

D, Leena Parlor is situated right on M.B. Road in the Birati Super Market area. Being near such a busy market means there is always noise and people moving about. We open the shop every morning, usually starting with a bit of cleaning. The dust from M.B. Road always finds a way in, so we have to wipe down the mirrors and the chairs first thing. It is not a fancy place, just a simple parlor for the local people in Birati. We have a few chairs and the basic equipment we need. The shelves are filled with different bottles and jars, some half-empty and some new. We don't have a big staff, just a couple of us who have been doing this for a while. You can hear the market all day, the vendors shouting and the rickshaw bells ringing. It is a very lively part of Kolkata to work in. Sometimes the power goes out and we just have to wait a bit, but that's just how it is here. Most of our regulars are people who live within walking distance. They come in for a quick trim or a shave and stay for a bit of a chat. We have a small fan that wobbles a little when it’s on high, but it does the job. We have a small plastic clock on the wall that ticks quite loudly when the shop is quiet. It’s just a normal day-to-day business for us, nothing more and nothing less.