Rattan Auto Products

Working here at Karol Bagh on Hardhyan Singh Road is always loud. There is always someone honking or a truck trying to squeeze past the shop front at 1617/1. Inside Rattan Auto Products, things are a bit of a mess, but I know where everything is. We have shelves reaching all the way to the ceiling, packed with boxes that have been there since I can’t remember when. My hands are almost always black from oil or dust. It doesn’t matter if I wash them three times a day, the dirt just stays under the nails. People come in looking for a specific bolt or a mirror for an old model that isn't even made anymore. We spend a lot of time digging through the back rows to find that one piece someone needs. The fan on the ceiling wobbles a bit and makes a clicking sound when it’s on high, but it helps with the heat in June. We drink a lot of tea while we talk to the mechanics who hang around. It’s a busy spot. The tea guy knows exactly when to bring our glasses around four o'clock. Most of the time, we are just moving parts from one side of the room to the other or checking the inventory lists that we keep on a wooden desk that’s seen better days. It is just a regular job in a crowded part of the city, and we just keep at it.