A Second Chance at Life

A Second Chance At Life

This story's beginning is inspired by a true incident, where I was "

Just Sitting In The Park

," when I was able to pull a man out of a burning car; the rest is fiction and from my imagination.

I'd like to thank kenjisato, again, for great editing and my dining friends for input. If you find any mistakes, it's probably something I did after editing.

Active sexual activity only involves characters over the age of eighteen. Any similarities to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Names have been changed to protect the innocent and my bank account.

A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE

A young man loses his life saving a man, BUT heaven wasn't ready for him.

My name was Doug Thomas Patrick, and I was twenty-one when this narration begins. My girlfriend, Trinity Anderson, and I were at the fish-or-cut-bait point in our relationship. I had met her parents, and next week, she would meet mine at my graduation from Arizona State University, ASU.

We had talked about our future, living together, marriage, even children. We had everything a couple would want, emotionally; we were almost to the point of getting engaged. For me, I was love maybe with a little lust. Hey I was a man, I believed love was the driving force. We did have deep discussions on our relationship.

We were of different faiths-- her faith, one that has many members in the western states, was very conservative, mine was more on the liberal side, members concentrated in eastern seaboard and in the south. We were still red-blooded adults who participated in ALL of the twenty-something 'rites of passage', including sex.

JUST SITTING IN THE PARK.

I had just finished college, paperwork was finished and graduation was next week. I was sitting with Trinity, on top of a hill in Papago Park, a desert park in the middle of metropolitan Phoenix. It was the location of the Desert Botanical Garden, the Phoenix Zoo, Papago Golf Club, and the Hole In The Rock; it had a road that ran through it with a few curves, called Galvin Parkway, and at that time, it was two lanes.

We were watching the 'gopher races', (in communities near water, it's called 'submarine races'). I heard a screech of tires and heard a crash. I turned and saw taillights flipping over. We ran down the hill and I drove like a bat out of hell through the desert park to get to the crash site.

Later I was allowed to remember that the driver of the car had worked two long shifts, both over eight hours that day, and fell asleep at the wheel. The car had run off the road, and hit the only boulder for three hundred yards in any direction; it was upside down and on fire. I reached the car at the same time as an older gentleman did. I opened the passenger door, the seat was starting to catch on fire, the driver was out cold, crumpled on the roof. The older guy was in his late fifties or early sixties; he tried to grab the driver, but the smoke stopped him.

In my mind, I said, "I am young, I am invincible!" I reached in and grabbed the driver's arm and started to drag him out, but his foot was hooked on one of the foot pedals and he was stuck. The plastic seat was starting to drip burning plastic on the driver.

I yelled, "MOVE YOUR FUCKING FOOT!" His foot moved!

(When I had opened the door it interrupted the flow of gasoline down the side of the car from the gas tank filler, it must have had a bad seal, it gave me the time I needed to pull him out.)

I dragged him out, and we, the older guy and my girlfriend, started to carry him away from the burning wreck and toward safety...

And then, there was an explosion!

WAKING UP.

I woke up in a nondescript room; it looked like the rows of chairs you find in a motor vehicle license office. But all were white, the room was white, the walls, the floor; in fact, everyone was wearing white clothes. Even I was dressed in white. Names were being called, then people would get up from their chairs, and go to some Pearly Gates that would mysteriously appear. Finally, it got to where I was the only one sitting in the room.

On a wall was a sign that said:

Welcome To Limbo,

Established Sunday, April 3, 33 AD

Now serving 110,000,000,001

A guy dressed like Mr. Roarke from 'Fantasy Island' appeared next to me.

"Come with me."

I followed Mr. Roarke.

He turned, and said, "By the way, I am not Mr. Roarke, my name is Cephas, and this is my area of control."

I thought, "Cephas... isn't that St. Peter?" I wondered. I asked, "Am I dead?"

St. Peter said, "Well, yes, you are. It's been six Earth years now. You were killed from the shrapnel, when the car exploded; your body protected that older man, your girlfriend, and the crash victim.

"You had a nice funeral; your dad spoke, said how proud he was of you. Your mom cried and so did your sister, but they all were very proud of you. Your parents and sister received a humanitarian award on your behalf, it was one million dollars. It paid off your school loan, and paid for your sister's college completely, paid the mortgage off on your parents' home, and paid fully for your sister's home in SoCal." (The rest was put in a trust for sick and injured children.)

HERE TOO SOON.

"BUT YOU'RE HERE TOO SOON!" he exclaimed, as he looked at a white clipboard. "You are not due for at least sixty years...! Let me research this." He walked through a door that appeared in the wall and returned in a moment.

"You see when you drove across the desert you got to the car before it could blow up, The Destiny-Karma-Predestination department didn't think you'd get there in time, and when you opened the door, you stopped the gas from traveling down the side of the car long enough for YOU to get Bill out. By the way, Bill Jacobs lives two blocks from where you used to live with your parents. He would come over to your parents' home and mow their lawn and do work around their house, until they both passed away-- it was his way of thanking you for saving his life."

THE FIX, THE NEW ME.

St. Peter continued, "Okay the elders, you've met some of them, want this fixed. I have to send you back. But you won't be yourself. You have been 'gone' too long. Your family was financially taken care of. Your girlfriend is now married, two cute kids by the way. Your parents as I said have passed on. Your sister is a civil engineer working for CalTrans over in California. You will be informed of everything, but you will not remember many things once you are back in your new life, unless we want you to remember it.

"We created a bank account in your name with over two million dollars. I know your life was worth more, but we had to re-assign all your future 'good deeds' to other souls and had to use some of our budget to make it happen. This is because you gave up your life to save a life; a man, a husband, a daddy of three and a future child. You also protected two others.

"Oh, you also now have a degree and skills in finance, so you can manage your own money and make more."

"But I was going to be a schoolteacher! "

"Okay, we will let you keep those skills, too. And your degree... Now you have two degrees, a BA in education and a BA in finance."

THE LIFE UPGRADES.

"Can I ask for anything else?"

St. Peter looked at his checklist... and said, "Please don't ask for a bigger penis yours is one-hundred-percent average."

I asked, "How about ten percent above average, it is just a little more?"

"Okay, I was afraid you would want half a cubit!"

"How's my IQ?" I enquired.

"You have a 145 IQ; I think that is enough," St. Peter said, looking at his checklist.

"Yep. Can you tone down my ADHD?"

"We can."

"How about my metabolism, can you make it easy to keep a respectable weight?"

"Sure... First time anyone has asked for metabolism help, most just say make me skinny."

"Now, my looks... do I still have dark blond hair and blue eyes?"

"Yes, would you like to see what your new body looks like?"

A mirror appeared. I looked at the new me. I looked just a little different, but still had my family resemblance. Still dark blond, full head of hair, and blue eyed. No six pack, but my body was better toned than many twenty-seven-year-olds.

"What name do I have?"

We let you keep one of your names first or middle if you want, it is just easier, Douglas, what do you want your new name to be?

I started to list last names: "Ah... Powell... Paulson... Porter... Picket... Potter... NO... Peterson! I like Thomas Peterson!"

St. Peter looked at his checklist again, and said, "Okay, that will do. Thomas Michael Peterson.

"Where do you want to live? Right now, we have space for you in Arizona, California, Texas, and Florida."

"Will, I keep some of my memory of Arizona?"

"Yes. Some of your memories will be woven into your new memory, that way we don't have to create a whole new memory."

"Then Arizona."

"There is a four-bedroom home, in south Scottsdale, where you can be a normal citizen, not showing your wealth, after all, the Destiny-Karma-Predestination Department does not like to be wrong, so they are paying for it."

"Okay, I'll take it."

"What kind of car do you want?"

"SUV... a Jeep? "

I was supplied with IDs-- a driver's license, bank debit cards, a new social security card, insurance cards, auto and health, my passport; every form of identification I needed.

St. Peter said, "Okay, we will put you at the Jeep dealership."

ELLEN.

Her name was Ellen Parker. She graduated high school with honors, she had never had a boyfriend in high school because she took her education seriously. When she started college, her eyes were opened to the world of boyfriends.

She met Paul, their relationship was like a paint-by-numbers painting, it was step by step. At the end of their sophomore year, they slept together for the first time-- it was exciting for her, but not fulfilling. He ejaculated, rolled over, and fell asleep. Dates became a prelim to sex for him. Oh, he said he loved her, but something was missing, tender touches, taking her out to nice places, AND HER ORGASMS! Paul just went through the steps in order to get laid by the good-looking Ellen.

When she told him she was pregnant, he almost took off, but decided to marry her and become a husband and a father-- he failed at both! She stopped her education to take care of little Katie. Paul finished college in four years and got a great job. She was able to start school again after a couple of years. Ellen was able to put Katie in day care, but Paul needed to take care of their daughter at night, when she had to study or had a night class. Paul seemed restless, and put upon, having to take care of Katie.

Weekends seemed the hardest. Paul started playing golf with the guys from work, and that was also when Paul and Ellen stopped going to his work functions. When she was in her first semester of her junior year, Paul had started to leave for whole 'golf' weekends.

One Sunday evening, Paul came home, left divorce papers, packed up his clothes, and left. Ellen then knew the reason for golf and not going to work functions-- Catherine McCord, his secretary. Paul was chasing her.

The papers did not include child support or even child custody. (They were to be settled later, I think it is called bifurcation.) She did one thing right, she took his name off the pick-up list for Katie at day care. Paul did try to pick up Katie one day, but left when the staff would not let him have her. Paul emptied the bank accounts and canceled the car lease in an effort to force her to 'see' things his way. (The divorce, custody, and support). She then found herself at the dealership trying to keep the car.

**POOF**

It was an overcast Monday morning, kind of odd for Arizona. I was outside a Jeep/Dodge dealership in the Tempe Autoplex. As I walked into the dealership, there was a crying woman. I'd say about in her mid-twenties.

What I could hear was that her husband was leaving with his secretary and had cleaned out the bank accounts. She was still in college and had a child at home. The dealership said her car lease had been canceled. I heard she was behind in her rent also. She walked out of the dealership, carrying a car seat and sat on a bench outside.

LET'S MAKE A DEAL.

I haggled a hell of a deal on a Jeep Grand Cherokee Hybrid, indulgent blue, with all the bells and whistles. Why a hybrid? I did not think the network of charging stations were in place yet, to make charging practical for a EV... I felt like I was the best dealmaker who ever lived. Little did I know, but I was getting some help from above.

I walked out of the dealership; she was still sitting there. I walked up to her and said, "Excuse me, miss, but can I help you?"

She looked at me and tears began to flow from her blue eyes. I sat down next to her, and put my arms around her. Her emotions were a minor thing for me to deal with, after all, I had been dead for six years! She put her head on my shoulder and cried, until I could feel a wet spot on my shirt.

"My name is Thomas Pa-- Powell; believe me, I can help you."

"My name is Ellen Parker, my husband left me. My little girl and I will be evicted soon. I was hoping I could keep my car; at least, we could sleep in it, but my husband canceled the lease on my Durango."

Little did she know, but I was getting some help from above again; she was given a 'good feeling' about me.

"Look, I need to pick up my car, so let me help you."

Just then some clouds parted, and a shaft of sunlight shone down on the both of us. I held out my hand, and Ellen took a hold of it as she stood up. There was something in that touching of our hands that went through my body, like electricity from head to toes.

"Where is your little girl, can we pick her up? I need to do some more business. And after, I will help you find a place."

THE AFTERNOON

We drove to 'University Child Center', and Ellen went in and came out with cutest little four or five-year-old girl. Ellen buckled little Katie into the car seat.

"Want to get something to eat? Let's go to M-c-D-o-n-a-l-d-s, I am sure someone would be 'happy with a meal'... my treat," I said, with a wink.

It was just about noon. We went to McDonald's, and we had one happy little four-and-a-half-year-old, playing in the playground with other kids and one big kid, me.

I wanted a second car. After lunch, I drove back to the Tempe Autoplex, but to the Toyota dealership. I walked in with Ellen and Katie following me, and said, "Who wants to sell a car today?"

Like magic, two salesmen appeared. One was older and was sort of trying to edge the younger one out of the picture.

I asked the older one, "When did you sell your last car?"

He answered, "Two days ago!" with a big smile.

I asked the younger one, "And you?"

"A week and a half ago," he replied, as he started to turn away.

The older salesman started to step forward as if he made the sale already.

I stepped past the older man, and tapped the younger one, his name badge said Robert, on the shoulder, and said to him, "Sell me a Rav4... Hybrid, Robert."

Robert's eyes lit up. The older salesman just stood there, his mouth open. Again, the sun broke out to shine through the showroom plate-glass windows.

After he showed me three top-of-the-line Rav4 Hybrids, I was thinking about the color. I called Ellen and little Katie over. I got down on one knee and asked little Katie to help me pick a color. I was already friends with her because of McDonald's. "Now, look at both the outside and the inside and tell me which one you like."

"Robert, please escort Katie to the cars and show her the colors."

In typical little-kid style, she liked one car's exterior color and the interior color of one of the other cars. She bounced over to me and said, "Me like dat caw's oud side id looks like mommy's eyes, boo (calvary blue). An dat caw's inside looks like mommy's favowide dwess (nutmeg fabric)."

With a pleading look on his face, Robert said, "You have a nice family; I can have it by the end of the week."

I did not correct him on the family remark, I just smiled. "Okay. Good, let's negotiate."

After I decided what accessories and perks I wanted in the car, I asked the finance manager what amount he was starting at. He gave me a figure.

I asked him, "How much is Robert's commission on that?"

He gave me some bullshit about it being the policy not to give out that information.

I said, "Then I'll go to another dealership!" and got up to leave.

"Wait, Mr. Powell, it's twenty percent."

"No, I want to know the dollars! And are you sure it is only twenty percent? I read where the average is closer to twenty-five percent."

I said, "When I finish here, I want Robert's commission to be twenty-five percent, or better... or NO SALE. If you don't bullshit me... I will be a returning customer! Bottom line!" Bye the way I will be paying the whole price by check, no financing.

After our negotiations, Robert's commission was close to twenty-seven percent. As I was leaving, Robert ran up to me, shook my hand, and said the car would be delivered by Friday. I palmed a hundred-dollar bill into his hand, as when he was showing me the cars, he had told me that his child's birthday was coming up; he could pick up a nice present for him.

Again, a sunbeam showed me the way to my Jeep.

I drove us to Ellen's Tempe apartment. As we entered, I saw that she had very few pieces of furniture that were in good shape; the rest was early American... like early 1970s American particle board! Where was the money her soon-to-be ex was making?

I told Ellen, "You need a better place than this! Look, I am new in town, and I have a four-bedroom house. I am the only one there, it is lonely." (I don't know where I came up with that since I hadn't even seen it yet.) "If you'd like, you and Katie can live there, NO STRINGS ATTACHED."

Ellen packed up all of Katie's and her clothes, and taking a 'leap in the dark', she said, "Okay."

As we left, the sun again came out from behind the clouds.

I drove to my house. I had never been there before, I just knew how to get there. My house was two-thirds of a mile from where the accident had happened.

My key turned in the lock, it worked! We entered an empty house. The house was better than I had imagined it would be. It had a hot tub, swimming pool, a barbecue area, both a vegetable and flower garden. I gave a glance up, and said a quiet, "Thank you."

I told Ellen, "This is my house, but I have to use a hotel until I buy furniture. If you'd like, you can use two rooms here 'til you get on your feet."

Ellen was kind of in shock. "Oh, I couldn't impose."

"No imposition at all, let's just say 'I'm paying it forward'."

Just then, the sun broke out in the back yard, and I saw a swing set that wasn't there before.

"Okay, we can try it out," she said, in a quiet voice.

FURNITURE

"Hey, want to go buy furniture with me?"

We got back in my Jeep and drove to the furniture store. This was no 'Ikea'; it was more upscale. We would get some Ikea later on.

I remembered what Ellen's place looked like, so I went straight to the kids' bedroom sets. A saleslady appeared, her name tag read 'Judy'.

I turned to Judy and asked, "Are you commissioned?"

She quietly said, "Yes."

"Can you sell any furniture in the store? Because I am going to buy a houseful."

She smiled, I looked at Katie and she was looking at a Cinderella-style bed set, canopy queen bed, and all the girly things a little girl would want; a dresser nightstand and a dressing table, too.