Every morning at 8 AM, the sabzi wala (vegetable seller) calls out. This is a social event. Mrs. Sharma stands on her balcony in her housecoat, shouting, "How much for the bhindi (okra)?" The vendor shouts back. A negotiation ensues. The neighbor from the second floor joins in. By 8:15 AM, the bhindi is purchased, along with the gossip that the Sharma’s daughter-in-law is visiting next week.