The novel opens at Ruby Pier on Eddie's 83rd birthday.He goes about his normal routine until one of the rides breaks.Eddie gives a fellow worker,Dominquez,instructions on how to fix the ride; however,one of the carts breaks free from the ride and falls to the pier.Eddie jumps out of the way and tries to push a little girl out of the path of the falling cart.Eddie does not get out of the way in timeand is killed by the falling cart.Eddie travels to heaven and meets his first person,the Blue Man.The Blue Man informs Eddie that he is going to meet five people in heavenwhose lives he has somehow affected.The Blue Man tells Eddie how he is indirectly responsible for his death:When Eddie was a child,he and Joe were playing with a ball that bounced into the street.Eddie ran into the street to get the ball as the Blue Man was driving by.The Blue Man swerved out of the way,terrified that he would hit Eddie.Eddie ran safely back out of the street but the Blue Man was still extremely anxious having almost hit him.His anxiety caused him to drive recklessly and hit another car,which killed him.The Blue Man teaches Eddie his first lesson,which is that events are not random and lives intersect for a certain reason.