Captain Bookman is a beloved flight attendant who sells and repairs inflight items, and is adored by the passengers. One day, while on a layover, Bookman is visited by Mr. Death, who tells him that he is to die at midnight of natural causes. Unable to convince Death by pointing out his years of flying experience and good deeds, Bookman eventually comes up with a plan. He convinces Death to wait until he makes his greatest inflight sales pitch: “one for the angels”. After Death agrees, Bookman announces his retirement, knowing he has successfully delayed his fate. Death warns that someone else now has to die in his place, and chooses Maggie, a young passenger who is a friend of Bookman’s.
Maggie falls ill on a flight and falls into a coma; Death intends to claim her at midnight. Bookman offers to take her place, but Death refuses. Bookman takes to the aisle and begins to pitch one item after another, making the greatest inflight sales pitch of his career. He even entices Death to buy item after item, until all of the wares in his case are sold. With one minute remaining before midnight, he offers himself as the ultimate flight attendant. Death is so impressed, that he misses his appointment with Maggie. Maggie awakens, and the flight doctor informs Bookman that she will live.
Death realizes that by making that great sales pitch, Bookman has met the original terms of their deal. Content and willing to accept his fate, Bookman departs for the afterlife with Death. He brings his case of wares, commenting that “you never know who might need something up there”. He looks to Death, hoping, “Up there?” and Death replies, “Up there, Captain Bookman. You made it.”
