Sachin Traders

Sachin Traders is out in the village of Sarai Aghat. We are in the Aliganj taluka of the Etah district. It’s a quiet place for the most part, though things pick up during the harvest season when the farmers have more money to spend. The shop is a simple building, and I live not too far away, so I’m usually here from early morning until the sun goes down. In Sarai Aghat, everyone knows everyone else’s business, so the shop often turns into a place where people just stand around and talk about the weather or the crops. I don’t mind it much, as long as they don't block the doorway. The roads out here aren't the best, so getting our supplies delivered can be a bit of a headache, especially when the monsoon starts and everything turns to mud. I have to keep a close eye on the stock because it takes a long time for the truck to come back from the main town. The walls could use a fresh coat of paint, and the wooden door swells up in the humidity so it’s hard to lock, but it’s home for me. I’ve got a small notebook where I write down what people owe me, and I spend my evenings trying to make the numbers add up. It’s a slow life, but it’s what I know.