The canteen’s workers were bustling about the dining area setting up for tea. There was always a side table though, full of mobile fruit. Apples, Pears, Oranges, whatever is in season at the time. Right now it’s those three only. If he were back in England he would still be able to get peaches, but that is a summer fruit here and there’s rarely any left by October. Peaches would have been perfect, a nice soft bite and chew, just a small pit to bin. Apples and pears are a hard bite, those are for people with much better teeth. He could pull out his trusty pocket knife and cut off slices and eat them still, but it is frowned upon anytime you pull out a knife here. At this time he did not need the added attention, so those are out. Oranges are a soft bite, but too much rubbish to discard, peels and seeds. Not to mention the juice that can run down your hand, again too much distraction and it would draw too much attention. A nice banana would have gone a long way, but there is none.
	Kendra walked up and said, “Mr. Jondan, how may I help you?”
	Gabriel looked over and smiled, “There’s not any Banana’s back there is there?”
	Kendra look at him with an exaggerated apologetic look, “I’m sorry, this is all we have. I can ask Chef for a bowl of berries if you’d like.”
	Gabriel responded as cheerfully as he could sound, “No thank you.”  He smiled and walked out of the canteen towards the resident run corner shop. Located on the corner of the common room and game room, and straight down the hallway to the right is the chapel. He walked in to see Maybellene behind the till, she smiled brightly at him.
	Gabriel blushed slightly at her and waved politely back. She had a fondness for his accent, and it quite turned her into a teenager. It was most embarrassing, and inconvenient. Especially since he had no such inclination towards her at all, or anyone else at this facility. They were all so, how do you put it other than, they are all so… American.
	He glanced at the salty shelf, you know the one, they claim to be healthy but they are so loaded with sodium your doctor would have a heart attack if he saw you feasting on them. Sunflower seeds, trail mixes, from time to time they have that popular children’s beef jerky. What passes here for health food is absolutely horrifying. The Queen Mother would be mortified at the sight of it, but she has no control of this country anymore, does she. No. So no sense in thinking about that either.
	The regular types of crisps were laying about, and of course sodas were in the beverage cooler along with juices. Juices containing enough sugar in them it’s a wonder you aren’t dying from diabetes after you drink it. Of course there is still bottled water in there. Though where is that from? Is it polluted, is the water treated? How is it treated? Is it spring or filtered, and what exactly does that even mean. Does it mean they put pure spring water in bottle without filtering first? You see? American.
	Well even if he couldn’t actually buy anything in the corner store, at least he could waste time just browsing the things. At least until Maybellene started trying to chat him up.
	Which the inevitable had to occur, Maybellene giggled and cleared her throat.
	As soon as Gabriel looked up at her she waved at him, and the conversation began. “Hello, Maybellene.”