Short story: The garment store Devapichai works at is like a prison. Will he be able to escape it?

“Ve! What are you doing there, scratching your head instead of doing your work?” The mean taskmaster Ebenezer’s harsh tone jolted Devapichai and he snapped back to reality, like a person aroused from slumber. It was only then that he noticed the customer standing across from him, waiting to purchase some fabric. “Sir, what do you want? Four cubit or eight…?” he asked mechanically.

Sesuvadiyaan, who manned the towels section next to him, murmured to him in a low voice, “I tried to warn you a couple of times that the manager was staring right at you … but you paid no heed.”

“… I was preoccupied with some thoughts … Ayya, what did you ask for? … Eight cubits of Gundanj veshti? What price range did you want that in…”

Ebenezer stood at the second counter and continued to watch Devapichai with a scowl on his face. Even though the air conditioner was running, Devapichai felt like he was oozing sweat. Right when he was in the middle of displaying the veshti the customer wanted to see, Ebenezer walked over to him and began to reproach him straightaway. “Ve … do your work properly and pay attention to the customers.

Or else, I will inform the...

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