Every one of these has a queue.

None of them has to have a line. Six stories, told by the people who lived them.

Her name was Meera. Her wait was three hours.

“Three hours. Hard chair. Your toddler wants water.”
Rajesh had a wedding on Friday. His branch had a line.

“₹2 lakh to withdraw. 47 tokens ahead of you.”
Ram Prasad took a day off. The line started before he did.

“You took a day off. The line started before you did.”
Arjun wanted a haircut. The match started at four.

“Three chairs. Twenty-one heads waiting. Your match starts at four.”
Siddharth wanted chai. The train did not wait.

“Your train in twelve minutes. The kettle boils for everyone.”
Priya and Nikhil had three hours. They spent one of them at the door.

“Sunday. One-fifteen p.m. The menu arrived with the apology.”