Faces on the Way to School

Every morning when we leave our apartment complex, wiggle our way through the auto rickshaws and cross the chaotic street there is an old lady with white hair tied back into a bun, beautiful brown skin, a big smile and large white teeth. She stands inside a simple stand painted blue. It is about the size of a phone booth. On the back shelf there cigarettes and other things I don't recognize. On the front shelf there is a row of jars. I assume they are snacks of some kind. To shut the stand, there is a wooden flap that lifts up from the top shelf and then is propped open, like the hood of a car. On the side of this flap there is a white tattered cloth that hangs from one side and shelters the shop keeper from the afternoon sun. These kinds of stands vary in size and one can find them all around India on corners. I would hardly take notice if it weren't for the lady in the stall. Every morning she offers us a big smile, presses her palms together and says, "Hello!"
It is such a relief to see her, after I have pressed the cook and cleaner to leave, hurried the girls through last minute teeth brushing, hauled Flip onto my back, and headed out for our walk to school. I do my best to offer her my biggest smile back and my loveliest hello as well.
It is great to be here and to feel the rhythm of life settling in.