“Someone help! Please someone help him!” She screamed again, louder this time. She clutched her chest and with complete dread asked, “What can I do?”

    It was odd, the more she hurried about him, the calmer he got. As if peace surrounded him, he closed his mouth and swallowed hard. The smoke cleared.

    “My God what’s going on? Her mind raced. “My God, what’s happening,” She yelled to the man with no arms standing next to her.

    He took a deep, solid breath and said, “It's O.K. ma’am. When the cigarette tips get real close to my lips, I just suckem’ up, give one big exhale, then a gulp it down straightaway and fast.”

    He’d seen that look before. She stood dumbfounded.

    “Ma’am, if it ain’t too much trouble, could I thank ya’ for a glass of water?”    

***Post script to reader-for a warm up exercise in one writing group I attend, photos are randomly selected by non member- the writer has 5 minutes to write-this photo was the selection last week. All in fun and in the name of creativity.