Where Did All The Years Go?

The book starts by introducing Ed Kennedy, a nineteen year old Australian cab driver who is hopelessly in love with his best friend Audrey. He plays cards a few nights a week with his friends Marv, who never shuts up, Ritchie, who is always quiet, and Audrey, that always sits opposite to him. He also has a housemate who goes by the name of the Doorman and is seventeen. By the way, he is a cross between a Rottweiler and a German  Shepherd and his stink is almost impossible to get rid of. Ed´s family is not very fond of him, both his sisters moved out when he was younger and his dad passed away. This is when he realized his childhood was over. Also, Ed didn't leave town to study in college like his brother Tony did, and his mother hates him for it.

Ed´s boring life changes when he stops a bank robbery in his town and becomes a hero. (You go Ed!)Then he receives an ace of diamonds in the mail with three addresses written on it. The card is anonymous but Ed still goes to visit all the addresses and helps the people who live in those houses. First, he goes to 13 Harrison Avenue at 6 pm and finds a lonely old lady and offers her company. Then, Ed goes to 6 Macedoni Street at 5:10 am and finds a girl running barefoot through the streets. He encourages her to run with no shoes on in her upcoming track competitions. His third and last address is definitely the hardest and most challenging one. In 45 Edgar Street at midnight, Ed finds a man who beats up his wife when he is drunk and terrorizes their daughter due to the act. When Ed comes back home that night, he finds a gun in the mail and tries to kill the abusive man,  but lets him free with the condition of never coming back.

"Before I even mention me, I should tell you some other facts:

1. At nineteen, Bob Dylan was a seasoned performer in Greenwich Village, New York.
2. Salvador Dali had already produced several outstanding artworks of paint and rebellion by the time he was nineteen. 
3. Joan of Arc was the most wanted woman in the world at nineteen, having created a revolution.

Then there's Ed Kennedy, also nineteen…Just prior to the bank hold, I'd been taking stock of my life.Cab Driver- and I´d funked my age at that. (You need to be twenty)No real career.No respect in the community.Nothing." (15)

I find it very unusual how Ed constantly compares himself to other characters in popular culture. I honestly don't think he should care so much about other poeple´s achievements rather than his own. Maybe Ed should start to think about where his life is heading instead of focusing on everybody else's. Will Ed accomplish something that could turn his life around?

“Yes, Dylan was on the brink of stardom when he was nineteen. Dali was well on his way of being a genius, and Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for being the most important woman in history... And at nineteen, Ed Kennedy found that first card in the mail." (36)

When I first read this quote, I thought and hoped that maybe the cards would turn Ed´s life around. I felt as if something so simple like a card could help him achieve something in his future. I think the cards will be very important for Ed because they might become a test for him to pass and prove that he can do something else other than cab driving. I also liked the mystery behind the card since Ed doesn´t know who sends them or why does he or she send them.

The cards did help Ed achieve something, not for the people he helped but for himself. I don't know what will happen next but I hope more cards will arrive in the mail. If Ed got the ace of diamonds then he'll probably get the other three. Other than that, I still haven't figured out who sends the cards despite the constant clues and suggestions in the book. Ed Kennedy in his nineteen years of life has changed three lives for the better, how many have you changed?