Gharonda Super Market

The shop is right across from the park on the main road in Padmarao Nagar. Most mornings start with the sound of the metal shutter sliding up around seven. It is usually quiet then, just the sound of the milk crates being dropped off on the sidewalk. We spend the first hour just straightening up the bags of rice and making sure the dal bins are full. The sunlight comes in through the front door and hits the tile floor. People stop by after their morning walks in the park to pick up bread or some curd. It is not a huge place, so things can get a bit tight when the delivery guys show up with the vegetable crates. We have the aisles labeled, but people still ask where the salt is every single day. The fans hum all afternoon, and sometimes the light in the back flickers if the fridge kicks on too hard. We keep the counter clear mostly, but there is always a stack of loose change and some pens that do not work. It is just how things go here. By evening, it gets really crowded with people coming home from work. Everyone is in a rush then, grabbing snacks or tea powder. We try to keep the line moving, but sometimes the billing machine acts up or someone wants to swap a packet of biscuits at the last second. It is just us doing the daily grind in Padmarao Nagar.