The Five People You Meet in Heaven ​
Resume ​
The End ​
Eddie fcking dies
[!quote] 0th Birthday
Eddie’s father sees newborn Eddie for the first time.
The Journey ​
Eddie arrives in heaven, then drops into an ocean.
[!quote] 5th Birthday
Mickey bumps Eddie as a birthday tradition. Eddie feels uncomfortable and is comforted by his mother.
Arrival ​
Eddie arrives at Ruby Pier of his childhood and sees the Blue Man.
The First Person Eddie Meets in Heaven ​
The Blue Man explains to Eddie that he’s in heaven, which is for understanding one’s life on earth, and he will meet five people who are significant to his life. Then he reveals that Eddie killed him.
[!quote] 7th Birthday
Eddie’s baseball flies into a clearing when he’s playing with Joe. Joe is scared by the sideshow actors and runs away while Eddie is not afraid and gets the ball.
The Blue Man tells his story. He was nervous as a child. Once, when working in a factory with his father, he dropped a sack of buttons and was humiliated by the workers. After that, his father refused to speak to him. Seeking medicine for his nerves, he drank a lot of
[!quote] 8th Birthday
Eddie doesn’t get a birthday party because he has to attend the Blue Man’s funeral.
The First Lesson ​
The Blue Man’s lesson is that there are no random acts and our lives are interconnected.
[!quote] Sunday, 3 P.M.
Nothing happened lmao
[!quote] 17th birthday
Joe reveals to the family that Eddie has a girlfriend. Eddie is upset and the two get into a fight. Eddie’s mother reconciles them by making them dance.
The Second Person Eddie Meets in Heaven ​
Eddie meets the Captain, his commanding officer when he fought in the Philippines. He is reminded of when his group was taken prisoner, tortured and forced to work in a coal mine. But he was able to distract the guards by juggling and kill them with a coordinated attack.
[!quote] 21st Birthday (?)
Eddie celebrates his birthday with Marguerite just before going to the war.
The freed soldiers were burning the enemy base when Eddie thought he saw a small figure running inside the fire. He wanted to save them, but the Captain knew he wouldn’t come out alive, so he shot him in the leg. Then, the four soldiers drove to a gate. The Captain opened the gate and checked the path but was split into pieces by a land mine.
The Second Lesson ​
The Captain tells Eddie that sacrifice is a part of life and it’s an honourable act.
[!quote] Monday, 7:30 A.M.
The morning after the accident, Dominguez and Willie come to the shop even though the park was closed.
The Third Person Eddie Meets in Heaven ​
Eddie arrives in the snowy mountains. He approaches a diner and sees his father through the window.
[!quote] 24th Birthday
In the hospital, Eddie’s mother, Joe, Marguerite and Mickey celebrate Eddie’s birthday, but Eddie’s father neglects him.
Damages done by Eddie’s father:
- Neglect: as a child, Eddie wants his father’s attention, but is neglected by him. He often offers help at his father’s work, but the only job he gets is to collect fallen coins.
- Violence: his father gambles and drinks alcohol. When he gets angry, he often unleashes his anger on his kids.
- Silence: after Eddie stands up against his violence, he refuses to talk to him ever again.
Eddie meets Ruby and learns that she met her husband at this diner (Seahorse Grill). Then, he built Ruby Pier for her.
[!quote] 33rd Birthday
Eddie celebrates his birthday with Marguerite while suffering from PTSD-induced anxiety and depression. Mr. Nathanson, a baker who lives nearby, tells Eddie that something happened to his father.
Ruby Pier was destroyed in a huge fire. Emile lost his fortune and sold the land. They lived a modest life ever after.
Eddie’s father gets pneumonia and is dying in the hospital. Eddie protects his job by working in his place. Then he died. Two weeks later, Eddie and Marguerite move into the apartment where Eddie grew up.
[!quote] 37th Birthday
Eddie and Noel discuss about an amusement park accident in Brighton. After, they go to the horse track.
The Third Lesson ​
Eddie learns that when Mickey was fired because of his drinking problem, he tried to rape Eddie’s mother, but Eddie’s father chased him with a hammer. Then, he attempted to drown himself in the sea, but Eddie’s father saved him and consequently got pneumonia. Eddie also learns that his father died in guilt by slumping halfway out the window on a chilly night. Ruby reveals that his husband was in the same hospital room and that’s how she knew about Eddie’s family. Finally, Ruby convinces Eddie to forgive his father and let go of the pain.
[!quote] Thursday, 11 A.M.
Eddie’s funeral was held.
The Fourth Person Eddie Meets in Heaven ​
Eddie witnesses many wedding scenes until he meets Marguerite.
[!quote] 38th Birthday
Eddie envies Joe’s new job. Marguerite organizes his birthday party with the children.
Eddie walks with Marguerite and tells her how he died.
[!quote] 39th Birthday
Eddie wins 800$ in horse racing and tells Marguerite. She is not happy and drives to the track to find him, but she gets in a car accident.
Marguerite was confined to bed for six months. They cancelled the adoption. Eddie stopped betting. Three years later, Marguerite got a brain tumour and died.
Eddie tells her about everything that happened after her death.
The Fourth Lesson ​
After many days, Eddie says goodbye to Marguerite. "Life has to end. Love doesn't."
[!quote] Friday, 3:15 P.M.
Dominguez and an estate attorney visit Eddie's apartment to take legal documents.
The Fifth Person Eddie Meets in Heaven ​
Eddie sees thousands of black children playing in the river. He meets Tala.
[!quote] 51st, 60th, 68th, 75th & 82nd Birthdays
51: on the first birthday without Marguerite, Eddie tries to celebrate.
60: none
68: Joe wishes him happy birthday on telephone. He talks about his grand-son and a condominium.
75: none
82: Eddie visits the cemetery of his family.
The Fifth Lesson ​
Tala says that Eddie killed her in the fire of the base where he was imprisoned. Eddie has a mental breakfast. Afterwards, he washes away her scars. Then, she reveals that he had in fact saved the little girl at the pier and that the hands he felt when he died were hers. At last, he arrives at his heaven: a Ruby Pier filled with visitors he had kept safe throughout his life.
Epilogue ​
Ruby Pier continues to operate as normal. Eddie now waits for Amy or Annie in his heaven.
Ajitani Hifumi