Lateef Provisional Store

Up here in Srinagar, specifically in the Meermajidkhaniyar part of Khanyar, Lateef Provisional Store has been standing for years. We are right near the Asthanshrine, so you can always hear the sounds from there while you’re working. The shop is small and smells like spices and old wood. I usually wear a heavy sweater because it gets quite chilly, especially when the wind comes through the door. I keep the bins of grains near the front. It’s a lot of lifting and moving boxes around, which keeps me busy. People from the neighborhood stop by on their way back from the shrine. They aren't always looking to buy something; sometimes they just want to stand out of the rain for a minute and talk. I don’t mind. I’ve got jars of local tea leaves and big bags of flour stacked in the corner. The lighting inside is a bit dim, but I know exactly where every single item is kept. It’s a practical sort of life. I spend my mornings checking the dates on the milk and bread deliveries. If the road is blocked, sometimes we run short on things, and everyone just has to wait. That's just life in this part of town. I take pride in the fact that people trust me to have the basics ready. It’s a quiet, steady kind of business that doesn't need much shouting about. I just keep the shop open and wait for the regulars to come by with their lists.