Hs Provision Store

Ashoka Road in Sidlaghatta has a lot of shops, and 4-11-57 is where we stay. It is a basic provision store, nothing too special to look at from the outside. I spend a lot of time weighing out sugar or flour into smaller plastic bags. The jars of colorful candy near the front are mostly for the kids who stop by after school. We have the usual stuff like oil cans, spices, and cleaning supplies. The shelves are made of wood and they've started to sag a bit in the middle from the weight. It’s often quite warm in Sidlaghatta, so the door stays wide open to catch whatever breeze there is. Customers usually come in and tell me about their day while I look for what they need. I keep a ledger book on the counter to write things down, though my handwriting isn't the best. The floor is stone and stays relatively cool. Every now and then, a cow wanders past the front door, which is just how it is on Ashoka Road. We don't have any neon signs or loud music playing. It’s just the sound of the scale beeping and people talking about the weather. By the evening, the street lights come on and things slow down. I usually restock the biscuit packets then so they’re ready for the morning. It’s a quiet routine that repeats day after day without much changing.