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39

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After stopping at the local florist to buy a bouquet of flowers to place on Bela's grave, Ed and Kathy continued on to the graveyard in which the man who had played Dracula was buried.

Walking along a sidewalk aligned by trees, they suddenly gave away to the fenced enclosing of the graveyard. Ed saw the rows of tombstones, took out his handkerchief and began bawling. Kathy patted his shoulder. "It's okay, Ed."

Ed nodded and continued to cry into his handkerchief as they walked. When they reached the gate, Kathy opened it, then shut it behind them and they made their way down the path in the middle of the graveyard, heading down to the back where Bela Lugosi was situated.

He had never visited Bela's grave before. Not because he had forgotten or didn't care, but because he didn't think he could handle it. And he certainly was proving himself right. The last time he had been here was at the funeral service when they buried the coffin. He had remembered the ceremony before they had brought the coffin outside, it had been an open-casket service in the church and Bela had looked pretty good for being dead.

Bela had specifically demanded in his last will and testament to be placed in his coffin wearing his full Dracula outfit with the makeup included and his arms crossed over his chest. Bela had really looked nice, Ed thought.

But the problem was that he probably didn't look nice anymore. It had been quite a while since his death. About a couple of years. And after a couple of years in the ground, a person doesn't really look like a person anymore. Ed knew he'd always be there in spirit, though. And that was better than nothing.

Ed remembered all the good times he and Bela had had. All the bad ones as well... but the better ones seemed to reign higher than any bad time possibly could. Even though Bela was a suicidal drug addict who had tried to take Ed's life as well at one time or another, Ed still loved the old man and he missed talking to him and having him as company.

Reaching Bela's tombstone, they stopped. Ed blew his nose into his handkerchief and placed it in his pocket for further use if he needed it. His eyes wet and red, he kneeled down on the ground next to the grave, not caring at all about getting himself dirty. He read the tombstone in his head,

BELA LUGOSI

1882-1956

"Beware. Beware!

Beware, of the big

green dragon that

sits on your door-

step. He eats little

boys! Puppy dog

tails! Big fat snails!

Beware. Take care.

Beware!"

Ed sighed and more tears came pouring from his eyes. Oh, how he had forgotten that Bela had requested they put his lines from Ed's film, "Glen or Glenda" on his tombstone. It was such a sweet gesture and Ed really appreciated it.

He took his handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at his eyes once more, then replaced it and stood still in his kneeling position. He took the bouquet of flowers he had bought and looked at them. After some moments he carefully placed them in front of the tombstone. Then he took a few more moments just to kneel there in silence, thinking about everything that needed to be thought of.

Kathy waited by, patiently, knowing that Ed really needed this and didn't want to disturb him. He would leave when he was ready to leave.

Slowly, Ed raised to his feet and brushed some soil from the knees of his pants. He went to Kathy, linked his arm in hers and then, with his face buried in his handkerchief, they began on their way home.