Vashu General Store

I've been here at Vashu General Store in the Nagina Complex for a while now. Most mornings start around eight when I pull the shutters up. It’s right here in Indira Nagar, not too far from Shekhar Hospital. You see a lot of people coming and going because of the hospital. Some are in a hurry, just grabbing a bottle of water or a packet of biscuits while they wait for someone inside. The shop isn't fancy. It’s got shelves lined with everything from soap bars to bags of lentils. Sometimes the delivery trucks block the narrow lane, and it gets a bit noisy with all the honking. I spend a lot of time just organizing things, making sure the jars are front-facing even though they get messed up ten minutes later. The light in this part of Lucknow changes throughout the day, hitting the front desk right around noon. It gets warm. People come in to escape the sun for a second. We don’t have much room for people to hang around, but they do anyway, chatting about the weather or local news. It’s a small space, filled with the smell of spices and cardboard. Some days are slow, especially when it rains and the Indira Nagar roads get muddy. I just sit on the stool and wait for the evening rush. It’s just how things go here for us in the complex.