Patel Provision Store

Down here in Katargam, Patel Provision Store has been the place where people get their daily stuff for a long time. It is just a typical neighborhood shop. We stock the usual things—flour, rice, soaps, and whatever else the families around here need for their kitchens. It is not a supermarket with bright lights and music playing. It is more of a place where the shelves are packed high and you have to ask me where the salt is because I have moved it again. I have lived in Katargam most of my life, so I know most of the people who walk in. They do not just come for groceries; they come to say hello or tell me about their day. The shop gets pretty hot in the summer, and the fan in the corner makes a lot of noise, but nobody seems to mind. Sometimes we run out of things, and I have to tell people to come back tomorrow after the delivery truck arrives. I do not have a computer for the bills, just a notebook and a pen where I write everything down. It is a bit old-fashioned, but it has worked for me so far. The kids from the nearby houses come in for sweets after school, and that is usually the loudest part of my day. It is a simple business, just keeping the pantry stocked for the neighborhood and making sure the jars are full. That is enough for me.