Tiwari General Store

Another day at Tiwari General Store in Sector 9. We aren't far from the other shops but everyone has their own regulars. Our shop is mostly filled with big sacks of grain and rows of bottled drinks. I spend a lot of time checking the expiry dates on the milk and yogurt containers. In a place like Sector 9, people expect you to have everything ready when they need it. If I run out of salt or sugar, I usually hear about it from the neighbors. We have some stationery too, like pens and notebooks, for the students who live nearby. The metal shutters go up at seven and they don't come down until quite late at night. My hands are usually a bit dusty from handling the flour bags all day. It’s a simple routine. I have a small radio that plays in the corner to keep me company when it's quiet. Usually, the afternoons are slow, so I catch up on the accounts or reorder stock from the wholesaler. It’s not a complicated business. We just sell what people need for their kitchens and homes. People stop by to complain about the heat or the rain while I bag their groceries. We use recycled newspaper for some things and plastic bags for others. It’s just the way we’ve always done it here. Living in the neighborhood means I don't have to travel far for work. I just walk down the street and I’m there.