Aesha General Store

Running Aesha General Store here in Badi Gwal Toli is a full-time job that never really stops. Tilak Nagar is a busy area in Indore, and the street noise is something you just learn to live with. I usually have the front door open wide so I can see the bikes passing by. The shop is not huge, but we pack a lot into these four walls. I spent yesterday rearranging the snacks because the old display was getting a bit wobbly. It is funny how much dust a shop can collect in just twenty-four hours. I keep a rag handy to wipe the glass jars where we keep the loose pulses. Most people who come in are just looking for something quick for dinner. I have got a small fan overhead that wobbles a little when it is on high, but it keeps the heat away during those hot Indore afternoons. Sometimes a neighbor will stop by just to chat for ten minutes without buying a thing, and that is alright too. It breaks up the day. The concrete floor is cold under my feet in the mornings. I find that I am always making lists of things that are running low, like cooking oil or soap bars. It is a lot of small tasks that add up to a long day. By eight o'clock, I start thinking about heading home, but there is always one last customer who needs something. It is just the way the shop life goes.