The Five People You Meet in Heaven

1

This is a story about a man

named Eddie...

and it begins at the end,

with Eddie dying in the sun.

You might think it strange...

to start a story

with an ending.

But all endings

are also beginnings...

We just don't know it

at the time.

You lose this?

I suppose I should

come down there...

and give it back to you, huh?

That's what I thought.

You love this balloon?

Then hold tight to it.

- Thanks, Eddie Maintenance.

- Just Eddie.

But your shirt says,

'Eddie Main-te-nance.'

Well, Eddie is my name.

Maintenance is my job.

And this is just a shirt.

You have a cool job.

Well...

go catch up with your father.

Years ago, people

thought of Ruby Pier...

as a magical

and mysterious place.

Once, even Eddie

felt that way.

What are we gonna

fix today, pop?

I don't know, Eddie.

Whatever's broke.

Where ya been?

Hey, Gracie. How's tricks?

Okay.

Hiya, Eddie.

Watch the kid for me,

will ya?

Sure... How long

you gonna be?

Not long.

C'mon, Eddie. You want

to fix something for me?

Is it fixed yet?

Good as new, Pop.

Where's your brother?

I dunno.

Well, find him.

What is it with you two?

He was supposed

to be here by now.

What the hell

happened to you?

These guys...

they took my jacket...

There were four of 'em, Pop.

I coulda taken two,

but there were four...

What are you waitin' for?

What are you waiting for?

Take care of it!

Hey, pretty sharp!

Not again!

Look at you!

Look at ya... you're bleeding.

You get 'em, then?

What are you talking about?

Did you put him up to this?

I asked you... did you get 'em?

Good boy.

Honestly.

This fighting has to stop!

You wanna grow up

to be an engineer?

Do you? How you

gonna be an engineer...

if your hands are

all busted up, huh?

Eddie's too dumb

to be an engineer.

- Hey, careful!

- Knock it off!

You, too.

This war in Europe keeps up...

you'll be lucky to get

a crappy job like mine...

Eddie...

Eddie, are you there?

Yeah, Dom.

Hey, Eddie, we need

the keys to gate 16...

I'm on my way.

The last hour of Eddie's life

was spent like all the others.

Children liked Eddie.

Teenagers gave him headaches.

Knock it off!

What do you think you're doing!

It ain't safe!

They wanna get through

in there, Jason.

Clean it up.

Eddie Maintenance?

Just Eddie.

Eddie... can you...

Come on, kiddo.

I ain't got all day.

Can you make me an animal?

- Where's your mother?

- She's over there eating.

- Without you?

- With her boyfriend.

That's the piece that makes

it work... watch... here...

there, like that...

- and then...

- It's a rabbit!

Yeah, rabbit.

Thank you!

Go show your mother

what you got.

Eddie rode every ride

at Ruby Pier...

once a week to be certain

they were safe.

He'd done it for so long...

he could almost 'hear'

trouble coming...

in the spits and sputters of

the engines and the brakes.

Often he thought this was no way

for a man to grow old.

But this was his life, 'Eddie

Maintenance' they called him...

and a maintenance man he was.

Can I go now, Pop?

- Is it fixed?

- It's fixed.

Take that!

You're dead.

Practicing to kill, are ya, lad?

Hello, Mr. Shea.

You got any spare change you

ain't put in that toy gun there?

That was my last nickel.

Have you seen

your father, then?

We were in the war together.

Here's the thing about the war.

You don't think.

You just shoot and you shoot...

and then you pray

you come home.

It's the thinking

that gets you killed.

Eddie! Eddie!

The skeeball's broken.

Come on, Eddie,

come on, come on!

It's just the lever here.

There ya go, boys.

Juggle.

Yeah! Juggle, Eddie! Come on!

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