Ashok General Store

The store is right here near Dhudhiya Ganeshji on the main Sajjan Garh Road. We’ve been here long enough that I know most of the people who walk in by their first name. It’s an old building, nothing special to look at, but it stays cool in the summer. I spend a lot of time moving boxes around and checking what’s running low. Salt, sugar, the usual stuff people need for their kitchens. Sometimes kids come in after school and spend ages deciding which biscuit packet they want with their few coins. It makes me laugh sometimes. The shelves are a bit crowded because I try to fit as much as possible in this small space. There’s always a bit of noise from the traffic outside but you get used to it after a week. I don’t have a computer system or anything, just a notebook where I write things down if I need to remember. Sometimes I forget where I put the stool. Life here is mostly about these small interactions. If someone is short a few rupees, they just pay me next time they pass by. It’s that kind of neighborhood. I stay open until late because that’s when people realize they forgot to buy milk or matches. It’s just me and the occasional help from my nephew when he’s not busy with his own things. I’ll be here tomorrow as well.