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One Saturday, my uncle had to travel outstation
unexpectedly. With no one else available to mind his small provision shop in
the village, I was asked to take over for the day.
At around 7:00 a.m., the day began with the arrival of the local newspaper
van. I took delivery of the newspapers and arranged them neatly on the
display stands in front of the shop, ready for the early customers.
Not long after, two office workers came by and each bought a newspaper and a
packet of cigarettes. I served them and handed back the correct change. They
were cheerful and friendly, which helped ease my nerves.
With things quiet for a moment, I used the time to dust the glass shelves
and take a short rest. Soon, a housewife came in to buy onions, potatoes,
and sugar. I carefully weighed and packed her items. One after another, more
housewives showed up, keeping me on my toes as I attended to their needs.
While I was taking a short coffee break, three rowdy village boys burst into
the shop. They were loud and demanding, shouting out their orders. I quickly
put my cup aside and served them peanuts, chewing gum, biscuits, and
toffees. In the rush, I didn’t realize they had short-changed me by forty
cents. As they hurried off, I chased after them, but they were too fast and
soon disappeared from sight. I returned to the shop, frustrated and out of
breath, but remained calm and waited for the next customer.
An elderly man from the village was next. He arrived on a bicycle and wanted
to buy rice, sugar, and milk. After I packed his items, he stayed for a
while, chatting kindly and asking after me and my uncle. He puffed on his
pipe and left with a warm smile, pedaling away slowly down the road.
By 7:00 p.m., I was thoroughly worn out. Just then, I saw my uncle return in
a taxi. Relief washed over me—I knew he would take over the shop duties
until closing time at 9:00 p.m. I gave him a brief report on the day’s
events and business, then made my way home, completely exhausted after a
long but memorable day of playing shopkeeper. |
