Shree Bhagtesh Kirana Store

Being in Shivaji Nagar at house 205, we see the same faces every morning. Shree Bhagtesh Kirana Store has been a part of this street for quite some time now. I usually wake up early to get the milk crates from the delivery truck and stack them out front before the sun gets too high. Inside, the shop is full of the smell of open spice bags and laundry soap. We have large metal tins filled with different types of flour and rice. My hands are usually a bit dusty from weighing out sugar or lentils into small plastic bags for the neighbors. It is a small space, so I have to remember exactly where every jar of pickles or packet of tea is hidden on the high shelves. I use an old wooden ladder to reach the stuff at the very top. The neighborhood kids often stop by on their way to school for a small piece of candy or a packet of chips. Most people just come in and ask for their usual items, and I know their names and what they like. Sometimes we run out of certain brands and I have to explain that the supply truck is running late. The floor is made of old stone and it stays surprisingly cool even when it is very hot outside. I keep a ledger on the desk to keep track of what needs ordering. It is just a regular grocery shop.