Vitamins

She placed her hand on the sensor pad and checked that the machine was starting up correctly. As soon as the greeting was over, she picked up her phone to check her messages while the familiar announcement washed over her. As yesterday, the day before and every other day, the machine informed her that it had been set up through a governmental initiative to tackle unhealthy living. A network of machines throughout the country replaced the earlier supermarket infrastructure and if she went online she could easily find a convenient location next to her. This point irked every day as she was standing in front of a machine, so why the heck should she want for another one? The reading that would be done from her would ensure that she received a meal adequate to her age, gender and nutrition needs. She felt the prick in her finger as the machine told her she would and took some blood for the analysis and suggestion. But she already knew that the next step would to be more hurtful. She put away her phone and listed to the announcement that she was lacking in some vitamins and minerals, before the machine suggested the colourful salad with smoked salmon, avocado and a cheese-nut topping. She counted down — 3,2,1 — as the machine as expected announced that her funds were running low and this meal would be out of her price range as depleting her funds that much now would make it impossible to have money left at the end of the month. She laughed, even though it was not even funny anymore, as the machine suggested a less expensive salad with tuna and boiled tomato as well as a spicy vinaigrette. She picked up her phone again while the machine discarded this option of lack of funds, as the next, until it finally came to the Jacket Potato with tuna spread and sweet corn. The same option as yesterday, the day before and every other day. She sighed, picked up the token to collect her order and already knew that the next day her vitamin levels would be even lower.