[Intro — Quiet Piano] Once I realized what had happened, I walked slowly through the ashes, To the soul that stood there waiting Where the fire burned in flashes. I regarded him in silence, Half in shock and disbelief, With an overwhelming urge to clap That offered no relief. [Beat] So I looked at Bob and asked him, “Why? Why take on such a monumental task? You knew exactly when it ended. Was that really all of life you had to ask?” [Bob — Quietly] Bob stared into the crater That had ended his short life, Then looked back at me and smiled With neither sorrow, fear, nor strife. “While you were watching me, I was watching you. And I thought about the people Who had died without a clue. The ones who always wondered, ‘What if this?’ and ‘What if that?’ So I thought I’d make it count Before my body went kersplat.” [Music Begins to Build] “You see, the reason we love heroes, All the legends, all the stories, Is we wish that we could do the things That earned them all their glories. We wonder if we’d take the risk, If we knew that things would end, If we’d run into the burning house To save a perfect friend. But I had certainty. I knew. I knew the consequences. I knew exactly where I’d end, So why bother building fences? I had years that couldn't kill me. I had time to do some good. And I figured— Why not use it Like I always wished I could? So why not? Let’s do this thing right. Besides... [Bob grins] I walked away from an explosion Like a hero ought to. Right?” [Music Pulls Back] As I listened to him talking, I felt something close to pride For the boy who’d grown into this man— And the ghost now at my side. I’d watched every foolish rescue. I’d watched every reckless bend. But somewhere in those years of watching, I had started watching a friend. I looked at him again And cracked a wicked, deathly grin: “Well, in any case... That was cool as hell. I’ll miss you, dear old friend.” [Orchestra Builds] So I escorted him toward Heaven, Up the long and final climb, Past the pages, Past the ledger, Past the boundaries of time. And I watched the man I most respected Walk where I could never go, Received into the glory Of a place I cannot know. [Music Softens] Then I turned back toward my ledger. There were names still on the page. Another million little endings. Another million lives to stage. And I thought: “This can’t happen again.” No. Not everyone can be him. Not everyone should know the hour When their light is growing dim. [Final Reprise — Melody from Opening] Every name has a number. Every number has a date. Every date has a moment. Every moment meets its fate. That is not for you to worry. That is not for you to know. Your job is what you do with all the time Before you go. [Music Builds] But if someday, Somewhere, Some impossible little brat Looks me squarely in the sockets And says, “Hey. What’s that?” [Death looks at the book] Well... I’ll close the cover quickly. I’ve learned better since back then. [Beat] But if they happen to read it— I hope they choose like him again. [Full Orchestra — Reprise] Because I’m the end of the story, The last page of the book, But Bob taught Death himself— It’s all the pages That came before That are worth A second look. [Final chord]
