M P R Maligai

M P R Maligai is a small grocery shop on Sembaruthi Street, right at number 54 in the Srinivasapuram part of Thiru Nagar. It’s a quiet street for the most part, except for when the school bells ring nearby and the kids come running past. I spend a lot of my time weighing out things like lentils and rice into smaller plastic bags. It’s a repetitive task, but there’s something peaceful about it. The shop smells like spices and soap, which is a nice combination once you get used to it. I have a small stool behind the counter, but I rarely get to sit on it for long. The walls are painted a pale yellow that has started to turn a bit grey near the floor. We have a big clock on the wall that is always five minutes fast, but I haven't bothered to fix it because it helps me get things done a bit quicker. Srinivasapuram is a nice enough place to work, and the people around Thiru Nagar are generally patient if I’m busy with another customer. Sometimes a neighbor will drop off some extra fruit from their tree, and I’ll leave it on the counter for whoever wants it. We don't have a big sign outside, just the name painted on the wall above the door. It’s a simple life, running a maligai shop. You see the same faces every day, you talk about the same things, and you go home when the street lights come on in the evening.