Chapter Three

Cyrus Sinclair was taken aback. When he had recovered, he said to the waiter, "Uh no thanks, just the bill for the cappucino please."

"Very good, sir," the waiter bowed and left.

"Sorry about that," John Candy apologized, "I noticed him coming out. I should have alerted you. He can't see me so he probably thinks you're insane talking to yourself."

"It's all right," Cyrus brushed it off, "I should have noticed him coming myself."

"How about if I just go stand over there on the sidewalk while you pay your bill and then we can walk and talk together going down the sidewalk?" Candy suggested.

"Great idea," Cyrus nodded.

After Cyrus had paid his bill, he joined the spirit of the famed comic actor on the sidewalk.

"Sorry about appearing to you in a public place like that and making it look like you're insane talking to invisible people," Candy again apologized, "I just wasn't sure where I should appear to you. When Marley's ghost appeared to Ebenezer Scrooge in the movie "A Christmas Carol", it was in Scrooge's apartments and in the film (it may have just been Alastair Simms' particular portrayal) Scrooge looked a bit uncomfortable having all these spirits dropping in on him in his bedroom. So I thought maybe if I first appeared in a public place, you wouldn't be so scared."

"No, that's all right," Cyrus nodded his head, "I think I would have felt a bit flustered if some man had appeared in my bedroom."

"Now if I had been the ghost of Marilyn Monroe, you probably wouldn't have minded, right?" Candy laughed.

"No, probably not," Cyrus laughed as well.

"Anyways, what was I saying before the waiter showed up?" Candy asked.

"You were going to tell me why Raphael sent you," Cyrus answered.

"Right," Candy nodded, "I was sitting on the shore of a quite literally heavenly ocean watching all the heavenly dolphins jump up and down in the waves when Raphael appeared on the sand beside me. 'Hi Raph" I said to him and he answered 'Hi John'. And then Raph said 'John, I was wondering if you could do us a favour?' and I said 'Sure Raph, anything'. Then Raph said 'You can feel free to say no if you want'. 'That's all right,' I answered, 'What's the favour?'. 'Well,' Raph answered, 'it would involve your going back down to earth for a while, we're not really sure how long and giving advice to a young man by the name of Cyrus Sinclair'. 'Sure' I answered, 'say this guy isn't about to jump off a bridge is he like that guy George Bailey (played by Jimmy Stewart) in the movie "It's A Wonderful Life" because you know I was kind of afraid of heights when I was alive. Not that I won't help this young man out but you know you might have a queasy spirit on your hands if I'm standing on a bridge looking down.' 'No,' Raph shook his head, 'this particular case doesn't involve bridges or heights'. 'Whew!' I answered, 'What sort of advice am I to give this young man?'

Cyrus Sinclair and John Candy stopped below a billboard on the street that said, "Magnifico Telephone Dating Services. You'll finally meet the one you've been dreaming of if you phone this number..."

"More false advertising," Cyrus shook his head in such a manner as to indicate personal experience.

"What's that?" Candy asked quizzically.

"False advertising on billboards," Cyrus pointed up at the message on the billboard.

"Yeah, false advertising on billboards," Candy shook his head, "some things never change in 10 years."

"What sort of advice did Raphael send you down here to give me?" Cyrus asked.

"Advice on dating," Candy replied as the billboard fell down on top of him. The actor's spirit looked down at the fallen billboard around him and remarked casually, "It's a good thing I'm already a ghost or the owner of that billboard would have one That Other Place of a lawsuit on his hands."

* * *