Epilogue
Curtis didn't get too many postcards. Who writes to an old janitor, anyway?
But there it was. A card from Elwood. Postmarked Memphis, Tennessee.
Curtis knew that he was the closest thing to a father that Elwood would ever have. And Curtis knew that boy - now a grown man - still had a place in his heart for him.
He read Elwood's short message, over and over again. The edge of the dime store postcard fluttered in his shaking hand.
I paid my respects at The Lorraine.
I played "Amazing Grace" for the Reverend.
And I played it for you.
Curtis remembered the chaos on the t.v. The image of the balcony of the Lorraine Motel and the Reverend's assassination were permanently seared into his mind.
Then Curtis imagined Elwood at the Lorraine, blowing out the notes of Amazing Grace. Elwood wasn't much for words, but he sure could speak volumes with his harmonica.
Tears swelled up in Curtis' eyes, just like they did back on that terrible day. He felt his lips quiver, and a lump get stuck in his throat. Finally, a few tears rolled down his cheeks. Only this time, they weren't tears of sorrow, of anger, or defeat.
This time, they were tears of pride.
A/N: Chapter 8 - "Remembering King" - was entered into Marphlet's "Win My Promo" Contest, which wound up as a 4 way tie. This was written and entered as my tie-breaker entry.