Meenakshi Pindi Girni

Down at 1-8-4/1/11 in Chikadapally, the sound of the machines usually starts around nine. That is Meenakshi Pindi Girni, the flour mill I have been running for years. It is a dusty kind of work, grinding wheat and spices for the folks who live in Musherabad. I usually have flour on my clothes before the first hour is even over. People come by with their own sacks of grain, and I just weigh them and get to work. The shop is small, and there is barely enough room to move when the big sacks are stacked up. I have to keep the grinders in good shape so the flour doesn't get too hot or lumpy. Sometimes the power goes out, and everyone has to wait around on the street until it comes back. That's just the way it is here. Most of the regulars know my name and we talk about the weather while the machines hum. The floor stays white no matter how much I sweep it out at night. This simple business helps the local families get their rotis made. I don't have any help, so if I'm not here, the doors stay shut. People need their grain ground every week, so we keep the motor running. It is a loud, busy place but it is mine. Every sack that comes in gets the same attention.