Prabhulal Kirana

My shop is Prabhulal Kirana. It sits right on Jhalawar Road in Suket. You know how it is in Ramganj Mandi, everything is about the stone and the dust from the mines. I open up around seven every morning. I sweep the front of the shop and throw some water on the ground to settle the red dust. Then I wait for the first customer to show up. Usually, it is someone looking for bidis or a small packet of tea. I have lived in Kota all my life and this shop is how I spend most of my time. The wooden shelves have started to sag a bit under the weight of the heavy flour sacks, but I do not really mind. It feels like home to me. Sometimes the trucks rumble by so loud on the road that you can’t hear yourself think. I just sit on my wooden bench and watch the traffic go by. People stop in to complain about the heat or the price of things these days. I just listen and nod. I sell stuff like salt, sugar, lentils, and the basic spices people need for their cooking at home. I don’t have a big staff here, it is just me and occasionally my nephew if he is not busy with his school work. We don’t have any fancy signs or bright lights. It is just a place where you can get what you need for the kitchen. I close up when the sun goes down.