Parle Marble

We have been here at Shop No. 137 on Azad Road for a while now. If you know Vile Parle East, you know how busy it gets around the Milan Subway. Every morning starts with me pulling up the shutters and seeing the same group of people heading to the station. Parle Marble is just a small place, really. We keep a lot of our stock tucked away because there isn’t much space on the pavement. Sometimes the rain makes it a mess, but we manage. People come in looking for something for their kitchen or a small bathroom patch. My hands are usually covered in that fine white dust that comes from moving the slabs around. It’s hard work, especially when the sun is hitting the front of the shop in the afternoon. I usually sit on a plastic stool near the entrance and wait for customers. We don't have fancy brochures or a big office. It’s just me and a couple of boys who help with the loading. Most people find us because they live nearby or their contractor told them to come check our stock. It’s a bit noisy with the traffic from the subway constantly going past, but you get used to it. We just try to get through the day, sell some stone, and make sure the delivery truck doesn't get stuck in the narrow lane outside. It is just how things go for us here.