Moin General Stores

The store is near the petrol pump at Khoniya Bagicha in Mirzapur. You can usually smell the fumes from the vehicles if the wind blows the right way. It’s a handy spot because people stop here after filling up their tanks. We keep a good stock of cold drinks and snacks for the drivers. The shop is part of Al Vaseelah Court, which is an older building. The paint is a bit faded on the outside, and the sign above the door is starting to rust. Inside, it’s mostly just rows of shelves packed with household goods. I spend a lot of time rearranging the packets so everything fits. We have those glass jars with the red lids for the loose candies that the kids like. Sometimes the fridge for the drinks makes a loud buzzing noise, but it keeps everything cold enough. I usually sit on a plastic chair near the doorway so I can see who is coming. It’s not a very fancy neighborhood, so we don't carry expensive things. Just the stuff that real people use every day, like tea leaves and washing cakes. The floor gets a lot of mud on it when it rains, so I have to keep a mop nearby. It’s a lot of work for one person, but I manage to keep it going. Most days are much the same as the one before, and we just keep the doors open for the regulars.