Christopher swears the only person who eats his food is himself. He's not dead. Why would he try to poison himself? (I think it's one of those things. Chris sounds too chlidlike for him. If Christopher is still too much to say, she can still call him Mr. Kahl.)

It befuddled him once, long ago. And then he gave up and learned how to love the bomb Deck.

He would say this feels strange and probably not a thing former students should do for their teachers but... he probably has given up on protesting she doesn't need to do this. Rank and the fact that spark might be fading just a little.