He Almost Died

Had dinner tonight next to Deb and Pete. This was one of those places where you were practically dining with the people next to you. I assumed at the beginning they were an old married couple. Actually didn't seem entirely miserable but then something started changing......Pete spent the latter half of dinner clutching his chest as if he was going to die. "The black beans help the food go down easier"......WHAT THE HELL does that mean??? No clue. So he's clutching his chest and every now and then Deb would say "Pete, you still with me?....Pete, come back". I'd glance over and Pete was surely gone.....don't know where, thought maybe dead but certainly gone.