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Flash fiction: A near miss

by Tracy A. Moore

Created on: August 16, 2010

Ed and Tricia were running late for the party because she had a hard time deciding what to wear. “You do this every time. Why can't you just make up your mind?”, bellowed Ed as they got into the car. For the next twenty minutes they bickered back and forth, then settled into a stony silence.

Tricia looked over at the gas gauge and it hit her that she had forgotten to fill it up the day before as Ed had asked her to do. “I'm really sorry Ed, I forgot the gas. You're going to have to stop for some soon.” This made him even more irritated. Why couldn't she just remember one little thing that he asked her to do?

They began arguing again, with each sentence more heated than the one before. Even though they still had another thirty minutes to drive, Ed wanted to wait until after the party which they were already going to be late for. She stood her ground knowing that it was better to make him a little irritated now than to see how angry he would be if they ran out of gas.

He pulled over at the next gas station just to get her off his back. After filling up and paying for the gas, Ed climbed back in the car as police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances roared by. As the last one sped by, he pulled out onto the street. Just a few minutes down the road traffic was stopped.

They could see flames shooting into the air from twisted metal which had recently been cars. Ed looked over at his wife who was wide eyed in shock at the sight. “Tricia, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being my scatterbrained, annoying wife”. If it had not been for her insistence they would have been caught in that accident. They hugged one another tightly, feeling foolish for their pointless argument.

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