As Beth Rich’s eyes fogged up, her throat burning from lack of air, she looked up to the begging man running her way. She remembered that evening, when she had noticed him for the first time.

She had been lumbering out of her stretch limo, pulling her fox coat closer to her huge body, blocking out the frigid night air. The begging man had been at her feet, asking for money. She kicked him out of her way, continuing to click away in her high heels to the exquisite restraint where she was about to get her fresh, piping hot, lobster dinner. Swinging her Prada purse to and fro, she opened the restaurant door, letting a warm, delightful breeze flow out, making her bulging stomach growl.

Three minutes later, Beth left the restaurant with her moderately warm meal in a doggy bag; even the rich eat at home sometimes. She sat on a bench just outside the restaurant, waiting for her limo to return. As she opened the bag, steam rolling off into the dark, the begging man returned. Even before he had made his request of a morsel, Beth Rich shooed him away.

Watching the begging man slowly shuffle away, Beth Rich felt the tiniest prick of guilt, enough to make her reconsider her turn down and offer the begging man some food. In an attempt to not offer food to the begging man, she stuffed a whole lobster arm in her mouth, trying to swallow it without chewing.

Feeling slightly overheated, she took a breath. She realized the lobster arm was lodged deep in her throat, she was choking! Not being able to make a sound, she reached for the begging man, who didn’t yet know of her predicament. Slowly turning red she coughed once, twice, thrice! Finally the begging man heard her and turned, he was ready to help her even though she had just denied him food and money. But he was too late! All the money in the world wasn’t going to save Beth Rich from the course of events that was taking place and her life with it. The last thing she saw was the begging man’s worried face as he rushed to her aid.