Asha General Store

I opened the doors here at Harharguttu around seven this morning. It is a bit dusty today, like most days in Ranchi lately. This place, Asha General Store, is just a small spot on the corner, really. I spend a lot of my time moving boxes around or wiping down the counters because the dirt just settles everywhere. People from around the neighborhood stop by for bread or maybe a bit of sugar they forgot to buy earlier. It is mostly quiet until the school lets out, then it gets a little louder with kids asking for sweets. My stool behind the counter is getting a bit old, but it works fine for when things slow down in the afternoon. Sometimes the electricity goes out for a bit, so I just sit near the front where the light is better. I have been looking at the shelves thinking I need to organize the soap section again. It gets messy fast when people are in a hurry. The fan makes a clicking sound that I have grown used to over the months. I usually stay until the sun goes down and then some. It is just how things go around here. Nothing fancy, just a room full of things people might need for their kitchens or their kids. Most of the regulars know exactly where everything is anyway, so they do not ask much. I just nod and take the change. It is a simple life in Harharguttu, keeping the shelves full.