that’s because they’re “mushy peas”: peas that have been allowed to grow over ripe, sundried, rehydrated in water and baking soda, rinsed and then boiled. This removes all the natural coloring, making them grey, so then green food dye is added (E133 and E101).
Funnily enough Samuel Beckett of Waiting for Godot fame (not the quantum leap guy) wrote a play called Endgame, also punning on the chess term.
A man who can’t walk or see has the only combination to the food pantry, a man who can’t sit down is the only one who can take him there to open it. They are the last two people alive. They both continually try to out do each other and come out on top as they can’t trust each other to live in peace.