Buffet on the Joel
Aisha stood in line impatiently. The plate she was holding was heavier than a bottle of wine. The buffet table was lined with all kinds of fish, crabs, lobsters, and other fancy dishes she didn’t know the names for.
The dining room was spacious but packed with people. Although many of them were in decorative shirts or shorts, Aisha knew most of them were far richer than she was. Sunlight came in front the windows, reflecting blindingly off the ocean surface. Barely audible ukulele music played from the speakers. The blue carpet had pictures of sharks and octopi on it.
The Joel, the planet’s only submarine hotel, was floating now, but Aisha wished it would dive down soon. The reefs were far more interesting than anything above water.
The people in front of Aisha were taking their time. There was more than one buffet table, so she had picked the one with the shortest queue. Maybe she should have started with the dessert first.
She glanced over her shoulder at the person behind her, who was in a slightly worse situation. “Are you starving as much as I am?”
