Babu General Store

The shop sits right on the Main Road here in Navlakha. It’s not a big place, just enough room for the counters and the shelves we’ve had for years. Most days start early before the traffic really gets going. I open the shutter and sweep the front bit of the pavement because the dust settles overnight. We keep all the usual things people need, like soap, biscuits, and those little packets of spices. The light inside isn’t very bright, but we know where everything is kept even in the dark. Sometimes the fan makes a clicking sound when it’s on high, but it keeps the air moving during the hot afternoons. People from around the neighborhood stop by on their way home. Some just want a single cigarette or a bottle of water. I spend a lot of time writing in the ledger and checking what needs to be ordered for next week. It’s mostly quiet except when the school bus drops the kids off nearby and they come running in for snacks. We don’t have fancy displays or anything like that. Just the stuff people ask for every day. The walls could probably use a new coat of paint, but there never seems to be a good time to close up and do it. We just keep going, day after day, making sure the jars are full and the change is ready in the drawer. It’s just how things are run here.