Tea Lounge

The Tea Lounge is located right near Pune Station, specifically on 12th Main over on Dr Rajkumar Road in the 6th Block. Being so close to the station means we see a lot of tired people carrying heavy bags who just need to sit down for a minute. The shop isn't very big and the furniture is pretty basic wood that we’ve had for years. Every morning we start by boiling the first big pot of water and getting the milk ready. The steam usually fogs up the front window when it is raining outside. There is always a bit of dust coming in from the main road because of all the buses and rickshaws passing by. We don't have a big fancy menu, just the usual teas that people expect and maybe some biscuits in jars on the shelf. Some regulars come in every single day at the same time and sit in the same corner near the fan. The fan makes a bit of a clicking noise but nobody seems to mind it much. We spend most of our time washing glasses and making sure there is enough ginger and cardamom in the kitchen. It can get a bit hectic when a train arrives and twenty people walk in at once, but we just manage it one cup at a time. The floor is grey tile and it shows every footprint, so we are constantly mopping during the rainy season. It is a simple life here.