There's a short story I read when I was a young kid.

In it, a man meets a demon who grants his wish for immortality. The man quickly tires of his new state and tries to kill himself, but his first few attempts fail - I can't recall if he healed from them, or just caused him pain but didn't kill him, or what.

Eventually he tries sticking his head in an oven with the gas turned on. I don't remember if he was just trying to suffocate himself or actually blow himself up, but the gas does explode, turning him into chunks splattered on the wall that are still alive, in hellish agony forever. Pretty intense for a kid!

I'm less sure of the rest, but I think the demon was introduced at the start of the story, without immediately being described as such, just that he was extraordinarily lucky. Traffic lights always turned green just as he arrived, a taxi always came to pick him up just as he raised his hand, etc.

There's a short story I read when I was a young kid.

In it, a man meets a demon who grants his wish for immortality. The man quickly tires of his new state and tries to kill himself, but his first few attempts fail - I can't recall if he healed from them, or just caused him pain but didn't kill him, or what.

Eventually he tries sticking his head in an oven with the gas turned on. I don't remember if he was just trying to suffocate himself or actually blow himself up, but the gas does explode, turning him into chunks splattered on the wall that are still alive, in hellish agony forever. Pretty intense for a kid!

I'm less sure of the rest, but I think the demon was introduced at the start of the story, without immediately being described as such, just that he was extraordinarily lucky. Traffic lights always turned green just as he arrived, a taxi always came to pick him up just as he raised his hand, etc.

Considering how old I was when I remember reading the story, it would have been published no later than the early 80's.

There's a short story I read when I was a young kid. In it, a man meets a demon who grants his wish for immortality. The man quickly tires of his new state and tries to kill himself, but his first few attempts fail--I can't recall if he healed from them, or just caused him pain but didn't kill him, or what. Eventually he tries sticking his head in an oven with the gas turned on. I don't remember if he was just trying to suffocate himself or actually blow himself up, but the gas does explode, turning him into chunks splattered on the wall that are still alive, in hellish agony forever. Pretty intense for a kid!

I'm less sure of the rest, but I think the demon was introduced at the start of the story, without immediately being described as such, just that he was extraordinarily lucky. Traffic lights always turned green just as he arrived, a taxi always came to pick him up just as he raised his hand, etc.

Considering how old I was when I remember reading the story, it would have been published no later than the early 80's.

There's a short story I read when I was a young kid.

In it, a man meets a demon who grants his wish for immortality. The man quickly tires of his new state and tries to kill himself, but his first few attempts fail  - I can't recall if he healed from them, or just caused him pain but didn't kill him, or what.

Eventually he tries sticking his head in an oven with the gas turned on. I don't remember if he was just trying to suffocate himself or actually blow himself up, but the gas does explode, turning him into chunks splattered on the wall that are still alive, in hellish agony forever. Pretty intense for a kid!

I'm less sure of the rest, but I think the demon was introduced at the start of the story, without immediately being described as such, just that he was extraordinarily lucky. Traffic lights always turned green just as he arrived, a taxi always came to pick him up just as he raised his hand, etc.

There's a short story I read when I was a young kid.

In it, a man meets a demon who grants his wish for immortality. The man quickly tires of his new state and tries to kill himself, but his first few attempts fail  - I can't recall if he healed from them, or just caused him pain but didn't kill him, or what.

Eventually he tries sticking his head in an oven with the gas turned on. I don't remember if he was just trying to suffocate himself or actually blow himself up, but the gas does explode, turning him into chunks splattered on the wall that are still alive, in hellish agony forever. Pretty intense for a kid!

I'm less sure of the rest, but I think the demon was introduced at the start of the story, without immediately being described as such, just that he was extraordinarily lucky. Traffic lights always turned green just as he arrived, a taxi always came to pick him up just as he raised his hand, etc.

There's a short story I read when I was a young kid. In it, a man meets a demon who grants his wish for immortality. The man quickly tires of his new state and tries to kill himself, but his first few attempts fail--I can't recall if he healed from them, or just caused him pain but didn't kill him, or what. Eventually he tries sticking his head in an oven with the gas turned on. I don't remember if he was just trying to suffocate himself or actually blow himself up, but the gas does explode, turning him into chunks splattered on the wall that are still alive, in hellish agony forever. Pretty intense for a kid!

I'm less sure of the rest, but I think the demon was introduced at the start of the story, without immediately being described as such, just that he was extraordinarily lucky. Traffic lights always turned green just as he arrived, a taxi always came to pick him up just as he raised his hand, etc.

Considering how old I was when I remember reading the story, it would have been published no later than the early 80's.