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Eddie is a bitter old man, trapped in a job he never wanted, in a town he never loved. Every day follows the same routine of ride maintenance repairs at Ruby Pierthe local amusement parkfollowed by a lonely night at home. His days are filled with anger and regret. He blames his father for dying and leaving him to support his mother, the war for ruining his leg, and God for taking his beloved wife. On his eighty-third birthday, Eddie breaks the monotony by giving his own life to save a young girl from a falling cart. When Eddie reaches heaven, he realizes that it isn't just a paradise filled with happiness and bliss, but instead is a place where one's life on earth is explained to him by five people who were in it. Each person has a connection with Eddie, and teaches him a special lesson about life.

Eddie's first person is "The Blue Man," a carnival worker who performed at Ruby Pier when Eddie was a boy. The Blue Man begins by telling Eddie a story:

"A man is behind the wheel of a Ford Model A, which he has borrowed from a friend to practice his driving. The road is wet from the morning rain. Suddenly, a baseball bounces across the street, and a boy comes racing after it. The driver slams on the brakes and yanks the wheel. The car skids, the tires screech. The man somehow regains control, and the Model A rolls on. The child has disappeared in the rearview mirror, but the man's body is still affected, thinking of how close he came to tragedy. The jolt of adrenaline has forced his heart to pump furiously and this heart is not a strong one"

The Blue Man then goes on to explain that he was the driver, and died of a heart attack caused by the close encounter. Eddie was the young boy who ran out in front of the vehicle. The Blue Man teaches Eddie the first lessonthat everything in life happens for a reason, and that all lives are connected.

The second person Eddie meets is the Captain, Eddie's commanding officer from his time as a soldier in the Philippines. They reminisce about old times, especially when they, along with three other soldiers, were captured by the enemy. After killing their guards and escaping, the men burn down the abandoned huts surrounding the area, thinking that they are getting revenge. Once the small buildings are ablaze, Eddie sees a small shadow in the flames and attempts to rescue it. His friends, thinking that he's hallucinating, try to drag him out, but he refuses. His clothes soon catch fire as planes begin assaulting the area from above.

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