Alkesh Soni

I’ve been working as Alkesh Soni on Chandod Mahatma Gandhi Road for more years than I can really count. It’s a long road, and my shop is just a small part of it. Every morning, I roll up the shutters and start by sweeping out the dust that seems to settle overnight no matter what I do. The traffic on MG Road starts early and doesn't really stop until late at night, so it’s never actually quiet in here. I usually spend my time sitting at my small workbench with a few tools that have seen better days. It’s mostly just me here, so I handle the customers, the repairs, and all the little things that come up. Sometimes a neighbor will pop in just to chat about the weather or the local news, and I don’t mind the company. The walls are a bit bare, and I never got around to painting them a proper color, but it doesn't really matter for the kind of work I do. When the monsoon hits, the sound on the roof is so loud I can’t even hear the radio, but I just keep working through it. I don’t have any big signs or fancy lights. People around here know where I am if they need something fixed or made. It’s a simple life, and I like the routine of it all. I just do my best with what’s in front of me and close up when the sun goes down and the street starts to settle.