Kaka General Store

Kaka General Store is our little shop at number 16 in K L Market, over in Hari Nagar Village. It is a very small place, honestly. If more than three people come in at once, someone usually has to wait outside on the step. We have everything piled up high on the shelves, from soap to bags of flour. It looks a bit messy to a stranger, but I know exactly where every single item is kept. I have been sitting behind this counter for more years than I can count. The market outside is always noisy with vendors and scooters zooming past. We don't have any computers here. I just use a small notebook to keep track of what we need to order for next week. People come here for their daily bits and pieces. They don't expect a fancy experience, just a fair price and a quick chat. Sometimes the neighborhood kids come in just to look at the jars of sweets on the bottom shelf. We try to keep things simple. The roof leaks a tiny bit when the monsoon is heavy, so we put a bucket out. It’s just how things are in an old village market. We aren't trying to be the biggest store in Delhi. We just want to be the one that is open when you realize you forgot to buy salt. It’s been my life for thirty years now.