Sweet Home Chicago

"I can see clearly now, the rain is gone. No troubles in my way..." Danielle sang as she shuffled down the side of the road. She pulled out her harmonica and began to play a railroad tune she had heard from a friend of Curtis' in Calumet City.

He had been passing through Calumet City and decided to look Curtis up and chin wag about what was going on with them. Curtis had called Danielle down to his room to meet him. His name was Harper. He played the harmonica and taught Dani some tunes. Yup those were the days. When she could sit around at the orphanage and play her harmonica and not be going to a a new city every dang day.

Arriving at the small man made lake she took her jacket, shoes, and socks off. Sitting on her jacket she sat with her feet in the water. 'I just need some time to think. Yup too much back going on back in the city,' she thought to herself. Sighing she looked around at her surroundings. Never before had she seen so many trees, which was actually out of place in a city.

"I need to write Curtis. Tell him about what's been going on lately," she said to her self. Opening her bag and pulling out a sheet of paper and a pen she began to write,

Dear Curtis,

What's happening? Nothing really has happened in the past few days since I left. Right now we are in Pols City. We have a gig tomorrow. We've had several. Our last gig was horrible. It was at a honkeytonk that was just not clean. I felt so dirty and unclean in there. Earlier that day we had had a show at The House of Blues. Oh my gosh Curtis Ray Charles and John Lee Hooker played there! And they put one of my harmonicas out in the case out front. It was amazing. Right now we are having some money issues. We have about 400 plus dollars but about 300 something has to go for our hotel rooms leaving us with 65 dollars left.

I've told the guys they can't drink any beer but I know they will. When this gig is over, our money amount is gonna be going into the major negatives. If that happens, I have a feeling something bad is gonna happen. I think it is gonna involve Jake the most and it will hit Elwood and I they hardest.

Anyway, that's what's been going on. I miss you. Between you, Jake, and Elwood, yall were my best friends. You were the one that got me started on the blues, much like Jake and El. Plus your are so much like a father to me.

I've gotta go, will write soon.

Much love,

Danielle Emma Joliet Blues

Putting her shoes and socks back on , she got up and shook her jacket off. Walking onto the main road she put her bag on her back and took off running. As soon as she got back into the city she headed over to the post office. Going in she got an envelope and addressed it to Curtis. Putting the letter in it she bought a stamp and gave it to the post office worker who told her that Curtis would most likely receive the letter in two days.

Satisfied she walked out of the building put her glasses on, and headed back to the hotel. Once at the hotel she found all of the guys in her, Jake, and Elwood's roomjust lying around. Willie noticed her first.

"Hey chick, where've you been?"

"The lake,"she replied.

"Why do you look so happy, did you find a hundred dollar bill on the road,"asked Matt.

"Nope. Can't a person look happy without having an actual reason around here? Gosh," she said with a smile.