Sanjary General Store

Chandan Nagar is full of narrow galis and our shop is tucked into Gali No. 10. It’s a tight squeeze sometimes when the rickshaws try to pass each other on Chanduwala Road. I spend a lot of my day greeting the neighbors who walk past the door. Everybody knows everybody here. The shop is small and packed with jars of snacks and daily essentials. I keep the most popular items right at the front so I don't have to keep moving back and forth. The floor is concrete and it’s seen better days. I’ve got an old calendar on the wall that I forget to flip sometimes. Kids come in with a few coins for candy and they take forever to choose. I don’t mind, it’s part of the day. The air can get a bit stuffy in the afternoon so I keep the door wide open. I’ve got a small radio that plays old songs and it keeps the mood light. There’s always something to do, like checking the expiry dates or cleaning the glass jars. It’s not a glamorous job but it keeps me part of the neighborhood. When the sun sets, the gali gets a bit livelier with people coming back from work. I usually stay open until the last few regulars have passed by. Then it’s time to pull down the shutter. The metal sound of the shutter closing is how I know my work is finally done for the day.