After all, he promised their mother that he would take care of Sonny. During this conversation, Sonny lit a cigarette in front of him, nodded, and said, “[that] he wanted to see if he had the courage [to do it]” (1739). The narrator realizes that he cannot hold his little brother's hand all the time; he must let go and let it fly. The narrator "lets go" of Sonny by giving him a "scotch and milk" (1749) and going to a nightclub to hear Sonny play. He realizes that Sonny is in his element, that he has friends and that there is nothing he can do about it. He let the little boy grow into a grown man. Music speaks to all generations of adolescents, adults and even children. It becomes a language that, once heard, transforms strangers into friends. Throughout “Sonny's Blues,” the music Sonny plays becomes his escape from the drugs, the day, and even his life. Sonny struggles with drugs, fear of rejection and the fact that he is a man. Having people there for a lonely moment is nice, but someday growing up is part of being an adult. Whether life inspires people to become a jazz musician or an algebra teacher, everyone faces the same hell, but different.