Prakash Saraswat

Working out of the Ghaziabad District Court Compound is an experience, that’s for sure. My spot is number 680. If you’ve ever been to the court compound, you know it’s a sea of people, papers, and noise. It’s rarely quiet here. I spend my days surrounded by files and the sound of typewriters or printers going off nearby. There is always a lot of walking back and forth between different offices and counters. It’s a lot of waiting too. You wait for a signature, you wait for a file, you wait for a meeting to start. I’ve learned to be patient, though some days it’s harder than others. The tea here is strong, which helps when the afternoon slump hits. My desk is usually a mess of folders and loose sheets of paper. I know where everything is, even if it looks like chaos to someone else. People come to me when they need help navigating the system. It’s complicated for most folks, so I just try to point them in the right direction or get the paperwork sorted for them. The building gets very hot in the summer, and the fans just move the warm air around. We all just deal with it. It’s a public space, so you see all sorts of life happening every minute. I’ve been at seat 680 long enough that the wood of the table is worn smooth in the center where I rest my arms.