**POOF**

CHAPTER 41
**POOF**
They sat in the car. Staring at each other. Who was going to flinch first?
“I can’t hold it!” exclaimed Terri looking intently at her husband.
“Then, go ahead and release it, but I’m warning you, I will press this button immediately,” replied Fred while staring back at his wife.
She looked uneasy. Something was telling her to wait. Just hold on. But she couldn’t… she just couldn’t.
“Please, honey, let me let it go. I don’t want to face him, and you’ll know he’ll come over if you press that button.”
Fred looked out the window. He didn’t want to face that man either, but he’d do it if he had to. And if she let go…
“No can do, honey. It’s him or me!!”
Terri began to sweat. She eyed the stranger approaching the car. He had been drinking from a bottle in a paper bag and gotten up with a paper cup to ask for money. Terri nor Fred had a problem giving to beggars, unless they felt they’d use the money to pay for their vices. All things pointed in that direction for this character. Terri looked at Fred again. He had almost passed out the last time she had released one. The food at the restaurant just didn’t settle well. She knew that he’d open the window should she let one go in order to save himself… he couldn’t drive under such circumstances, he said. But if the window opened the beggar would come.
“Honey?”
“No, Terri, I can’t.”
“So be it!”
**POOF**
It all happened so fast then.
The window began to open, the beggar came over, and as his head began to approach the window… it was like a knockout punch. Out like a light.
The light turned green, and Fred carefully sped off making sure he didn’t run over the poor chap.
Terri looked at Fred incredulously.
Fred looked back at her… “Better him than me.”
The window slowly closed as the car continued to its destination.
THE END