Lalit General Stores

Lalit General Stores is right by the Main Bus Stop in Nirankari Colony, at Plot No 316. Because of the bus stop, there is always someone standing outside the door or looking in the window. Kingsway Camp is a busy area and we get all sorts of people. Some just want a single cigarette or a piece of chewing gum while they wait for their bus to arrive. I keep the cold drinks in a fridge that hums very loudly and vibrates the floor a little bit. The shelves are packed with everything from notebooks to shampoo sachets. It’s a bit of a squeeze to get behind the counter if my brother is already standing there. We start early in the morning before the sun is even fully up and we don't close until the last few buses have gone by. The street noise is constant—horns honking and people shouting—but I’ve gotten used to it over the years. I spend a lot of time dusting off the snack packets because the road outside kicks up a lot of dirt. Sometimes the children from the colony come in with a few coins and take a long time to choose which candy they want. I don't mind. It’s better than sitting in a quiet office somewhere. We just keep the inventory moving and try to remember where we put the extra boxes of matches.