28. A Nice Place to Visit

After robbing a pawn shop, Henry Francis "Rocky" Valentine is shot in a gunfight by a police officer as he tries to flee. He wakes up to find himself seemingly unharmed by the encounter as a genial, heavyset, elderly white-suited man named Pip greets him. Rocky nicknames Pip "Fatso".

Pip explains that he has been instructed to guide Rocky and give him whatever he desires. Rocky becomes suspicious, supposing that Pip is attempting to defraud him, but Pip proves to have detailed information about Rocky's tastes and hobbies. Rocky demands that Pip hand over his wallet; Pip says that he does not carry one, but gives Rocky $700 directly from his pocket and says that he can provide as much money as Rocky wants.

Thinking that Pip is trying to entice him to commit a crime, Rocky holds him at gunpoint as the two travel to a luxurious apartment. Pip explains that the apartment and everything in it are free, and Rocky starts to relax and changes into an expensive suit. His suspicions arise again, however, when a meal is brought in, and he demands that Pip taste it first to prove that it is not poisoned. When Pip demurs, claiming he has forgotten how to eat after not doing so for centuries, Rocky shoots him several times, but finds that his bullets have no effect.

Rocky realizes that he is dead, and he concludes that he must be in Heaven and Pip is his guardian angel. Pip looks at him oddly but only says that Rocky can have anything he wants. Rocky asks for $1 million and a beautiful woman, and quickly has both requests fulfilled.

Rocky visits a casino with three women, winning every bet he makes as beautiful girls gather around him, and enjoys being able to torment a policeman after Pip causes the man to shrink. Later, Rocky asks Pip if he can see some of his old friends who have also died, but Pip says that this world is for Rocky alone. Except for the two men, no one in it is real. When Rocky wonders what good deeds he could have done to gain entrance to Heaven, Pip takes him to visit the Hall of Records. Rocky looks through his own file and discovers that it only contains a list of his crimes, but decides not to worry about it. Pip departs, saying that he can be reached by telephone as needed.

One month later, Rocky has become bored with having his whims instantly satisfied. He wins every game at the casino, and the women do anything he wants. He refuses his latest winnings and kicks the women out of his apartment. A pool table magically appears at his whim, but it too is designed so he wins without effort. When this happens, he breaks the cue in anger. He calls Pip, who instantly appears, and asks for a challenge in which he might run the risk of losing. Pip offers to arrange for him to lose once in a while at the casino, but Rocky dismisses the idea as he would know about the setup.

Pip suggests robbing a bank, but Rocky quickly abandons that idea as well, since a pre-planned outcome would take the thrill out of the crime. Rocky muses to Pip over his lack of satisfaction at being given everything he wants with no effort or risk. Deciding that he will go insane if he stays in this stifling paradise any longer, Rocky asks Pip to send him to " the other place " — insisting that he does not belong in Heaven. Pip retorts, "Heaven? Whatever gave you the idea you were in Heaven, Mr. Valentine? This IS the other place! "

A now horrified Rocky pulls on the now locked door. As he desperately tries to escape, Pip laughs evilly and maniacally.