There is a glimmer of hope for reconciliation at the end, when Sam addresses Hally by his nickname again and asks to start over the next day, harkening back to the simple days of the kite. Hally, horrified about what he's done, is barely able to face Sam, responding without looking up "It's still raining, Sam. You can't fly kites on rainy days, remember," and asks Willie to lock up the tea shop. Just as Hally leaves, Sam gives him an interesting ending to the kite story: the bench Hally sat on as he flew the kite said "Whites Only" but Hally was too young and excited to notice it at the time, and that he can (figuratively) leave it at any time. Hally leaves the shop without response. The play ends with Willie giving up his bus fare to play the juke box, and he and Sam consoling each other by ballroom dancing together.