Night 10: Gnosis, Scalebass (Tuna) Sandwich with Warm Milk
The Late Night Diner is a part of Rhodes Island's canteen. That goes without saying – to whom had anyone ever heard of a diner in the boiler room?
As the name implies, it opens around midnight. There are only a handful of customers at a time.
Operators off their night shift could take an order and bring back to their quarters. Night owls could sit dining-in while leeching off the Diner's wi-fi. The Doctor would come for instant noodles from time to time.
Drinks are in the cooler. Anyone burdened by their own thoughts could take one and chug it down, anytime.
Menu? No such thing exists. What the Chef prepares is what you get. It all depends on his mood of the day.
Welcome to the Rhodes Island Late Night Diner. In here, you might even meet a familiar face or two.
It was nearly 4 AM when Gnosis arrived at the Late Night Diner. In half an hour the canteen staff would start moving the newly acquired foodstuff into the cold storage and preparing breakfast.
"My apologies. I'm all sold out." The Chef gestured towards the empty display cabinet, "You are here too late. I'm about to close."
"Not a problem." Gnosis looked unconcerned, "Anything would be good. Even breakfast. The morning shift is about to start anyway."
The Chef looked at the exhausted young man with a slight sense of embarrassment. He remembered Gnosis. He was a recent arrival on Rhodes Island, and he had been doing research and working overtime ever since. The Chef had heard from the canteen staff that they had not seen him coming for meals during day time for quite a few days.
"Anything" was a polite figure of speech – the Chef would not just settling for "anything" and make a bowl of instant noodle. It would ruin the Diner's reputation.
Although...there truly weren't anything left in the fridge. Business was good tonight.
"Will this be fine?" the Chef took out a bag of sliced toast and a can of scalebass meat from the bottom of the storage cabinet. He cast an apologetic look toward Gnosis and asked tentatively, "I can also go down to the warehouse to fetch some fresh meat and vegetables..."
"No need. I'm in a rush." Gnosis glanced down at his watch, "Yes, these are fine. Please also give me a glass of warm milk if possible."
It would appear a simple meal is in order. There were some lettuce and a few eggs left as well, so it would not have to go down with just canned scalebass on bread. The Chef swiftly turned on the stove and heated up a frying pan. He sprayed some oil into the pan and started frying an egg. Medium heat throughout and no flipping – a sunny-side up. When the egg white and yolk were both no longer runny, he sprinkled in a pinch of salt and pepper. As soon as it could be moved around in the pan with a spatula, the Chef put it on a plate. He then put two slices of toast with butter in the pan. When both sides of the slices were lightly golden, he fished them out with a pair of tongs, and spread a thick layer of meat on each slice.
"Ketchup, Mayo, or..." the Chef raised his head. He saw Gnosis had already seated himself behind a nearby table and was going over a batch of experiment data on his tablet. He shook his head and went with the safer option – ketchup.
Then lettuce, fried egg, more meat, and the other toast also with ketchup. After assembling, he wrapped it in plastic wrap and pressed down firmly, then cut it diagonally in the middle into two wedges. Just in time for the microwave to warm up the milk too.
"Scalebass sandwich, and a tall glass of warm milk." the Chef put down the tray in front of Gnosis, "Take your time. Don't push yourself too hard."
Gnosis didn't reply. He took a wedge of sandwich and ripped off the wrap. Holding it in one hand, he started typing on the tablet with another while taking bites once awhile. The sour-sweet ketchup, toasty-crisp bread, salty tuna meat, even the succulent lettuce and the fried egg with its flowing yoke, all these Gnosis had no time to savour. He had too much to do – matters of Rhodes Island and Karlan Trade, even those of his own family. Even the preciouses few minutes he spent on sandwich and milk was due to the collective decision made by his colleagues. They could no longer tolerate his near-suicidal work habit and decide to push him out of the lab, if only just for mere moments.
Gnosis didn't argue with them either, just as he spared no thoughts on how his meal tasted like. Better spent that energy on important things. Although he knew the importance of socializing and maintaining healthy relationships, as well as knowing it required such things to reach the goal he wanted, yet in his sight there seemed to only be data and information, reports and conclusions. Like a train speeding ahead straight-and-narrow, no matter how beautiful the scenery was outside the window, he would not avert his gaze. Not even for a moment.
"You done? I really need to close up now..." the Chef suddenly recalled that there was still a customer after cleaning the kitchen. He came out to the dining area and found it completely vacant. Where Gnosis sat before now lay empty, saved for a table with a wedge of sandwich and an empty tall glass.
...Maybe I should get the Research Department to give him a vacation.