Chai Wala

We started Chai Wala because we like tea. It is at 129 Kasturba Road, near Devigere Circle. It gets busy in the morning. People walk by on their way to work. We have a few benches outside. They are old and a bit shaky. The tea is always hot. We use milk from the local guy who comes by early. Sometimes we run out of ginger and then we have to go get some from the market. My brother helps out. He is usually late, but he works hard once he gets here. The walls are painted blue, though the paint is peeling a bit near the bottom. We don’t mind it much. People just want their drink. They stand around and talk about the news or the weather. It gets noisy when the buses go by the circle. The traffic is something else these days. We’ve lived in this area for twenty years now. We know most of the faces that come through the door. Some people don't even have to say what they want. We just start making it. It feels good to have a routine. We open up at six. The air is still cool then. By noon it gets hot. We keep the fans going and they make a clicking sound. It’s a simple life. We just keep the stove going and make sure there’s enough sugar. The counter is made of wood and has scratches from the coins people drop on it. We usually keep a jar of biscuits too. It’s a busy corner but it’s our corner.