Jai Bhavani Maa

If you have ever been down Masjid Bunder West, you know how the air feels heavy with the smell of everything being sold at once. We are at number 75 and it is always a bit of a squeeze getting through the crowd near Mohammed Ali Road. The shop is small and we have things piled up to the ceiling almost. Every morning starts with moving the heavy shutter and sweeping out the bits of dirt that blew in overnight. People come in all day asking for things we might have buried in the back and it takes a minute to find exactly what they need. It is loud outside with the carts and the shouting but inside it is just us and the radio playing some old songs. We have been in this spot for years and the wooden counters are worn smooth from people leaning on them. Sometimes the electricity goes out for a bit and we just sit in the dark until it comes back on, talking to whoever is in the shop at the time. There is no air conditioning so we keep the door wide open and just deal with the noise. It is a simple way to spend the day and we know most of the other shopkeepers around here by name. We don't change much around here because everything has its place even if it looks like a mess to someone else.