Varalakshmi Provision Store

I've been at Varalakshmi Provision Store for a long time now. We are tucked away at 64, Otteri, Nerustreet, right in the middle of everything. The shop isn't much to look at from the outside, just a simple storefront with a heavy metal shutter that I pull up every morning before the sun gets too high. Inside, it's a bit cramped because I like to keep a good stock of things. We have bags of dal, different types of rice, and those little packets of biscuits the kids like. Sometimes the delivery truck blocks the narrow part of Nerustreet, and the neighbors complain, but we get the sacks moved inside pretty quickly. I usually have the radio playing softly in the background, mostly the news or some old songs. My hands are usually a bit stained from handling the gunny bags and the loose sugar we weigh out for customers. It’s a busy life, but it keeps me moving. People from around Otteri drop in not just to buy things, but to tell me about their day or complain about the heat. I don't have a computer here, just my old notebook and a pen tied to a string so I don't lose it. The shelves are made of wood and they've sagged a bit over the years from the weight of the cans. That's just how the shop is. The ceiling fan clicks when it is on, but it helps. It’s been here through a lot of rainy seasons and hot summers.