The Hope Book Shop

I’ve been running The Hope Book Shop for a while now at No. 182 Main Road in Coothan Kudieruppu. It’s a small place but the shelves are packed from the floor to the ceiling. Most mornings start with me opening the shutters and sweeping the front step. The dust always finds a way in from the road. People stop by on their way to work or when they’re just passing through. I spend a lot of my time rearranging the stacks because things tend to get messy when people browse. It’s not a high-tech store by any means. We have an old fan that hums quite loudly in the corner. I mostly know where every book is hidden, even the ones tucked in the back. Coothan Kudieruppu is a decent area and we get a mix of students and older folks. Sometimes I just sit and read when it’s quiet. The light coming through the front window is nice in the afternoons. I don't really do much advertising because people know we are here on the main road. It’s just a regular shop where you can find something to read without any fuss. The sign outside is getting a bit old and the paint is peeling but everyone recognizes it. I’ll probably be here for many more years just doing the same thing every day. It’s a simple way to spend a life.