The Five People You Meet In Heaven

The first person Eddie meets in heaven is the Blue Man, an act from the sideshow at Ruby Pier when Eddie was a child. The Blue Man explains that Eddie will meet five people who will each tell him their story and their stories will become a part of his. Within those stories, Eddie will come to understand the things that happened in his life. The Blue Man says that this version of Ruby Pier is his heaven. When Eddie asks how the man died, the Blue Man says Eddie killed him.

The Blue Man’s real name is Joseph Corvelzchik. He was a nervous child whose father was ashamed of his behavior after he was fired from a sewing job at the age of 10. The Blue Man takes silver nitrate to soothe his nerves but takes too much and it turns his skin blue. The Blue Man joins a carnival that eventually leads to his job at Ruby Pier where he finds acceptance. One day, the Blue Man borrows a friend’s car to practice his new driving skills. Eddie, playing ball with friends, runs out in front of him as he chases a ball. The Blue Man swerves the car and misses Eddie, barely managing to regain control. He drives on but crashes as adrenaline causes a fatal heart attack.