Matel Paints

We’re tucked away in Shop No. 8/9, right by the Atika Railway Crossing. If you know Dhebar Road South, you know the spot. It’s loud because of the trains, but that’s just how it is here. Across from us is Kisa Vedri, and that’s how most people find Matel Paints. The shop isn't huge, but we make the most of the space we have. Cans are stacked all the way to the ceiling in some parts. We have to use a ladder nearly every hour to get things down for customers. The floor is concrete and shows every footprint, especially when it rains outside. We’ve been here long enough that we know the train schedule without looking at a clock. Usually, we're helping someone pick out a finish for their metalwork or a wall. It’s hard work, lifting the heavy five-liter buckets all day. Our hands are rarely clean. There’s always a bit of grease or pigment under the fingernails. We don't have fancy displays or bright lights. Just the basic stuff people need to get their jobs done. Sometimes the traffic at the crossing gets backed up, and people sit in their cars looking at our shop. We just keep doing what we're doing. It's a practical business for a practical part of town. We close up when it gets dark and the crossing gate goes down for the last time. It’s noisy but it’s home.