I Am Trying to Remember... Lyrics > Parade

NEWT LEE (chained hand and foot)
I am tryin' to remember:
I was checkin' roun' the fact'ry.
And I went into the basement,
Down the stairs into the basement
And I shine my light around here,
In the corners and the ceiling,
And I'm 'bout to check the washroom
And my light, it kinda catches
On this pile of rags in the middle of the room:

The factory basement.
Leo is brought in to view a body covered with a dirty cloth.

LEO (trembling, nearly fainting)
Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!

DETECTIVE STARNES
Do you know who this is, Mr Frank?

LEO
Oh my God! It's the little girl I paid yesterday.
She came up to my office.

NEWT
I ain't seen no pile o' rags there before,
So I go over and I kick it,
And I shine down my light and Lord,
Lord, ain't no pile of rags at all:

LEO (to the policemen)
Who did it? Do you know who did it yet?

NEWT
This small white body
With her tongue stickin' out,
This pretty little child
With her eyes wide open:

LEO
Oh no. You don't think it was my night watch-man.
Newt? (No answer) Newt Lee? You think it was Newt? (Silence)

NEWT
So I ran to the phone
And I called Mr Frank,
But the phone kep' ringin',
So I called y'all to help me---
Mr Frank, he didn't answer:
And that's all I can remember.

LEO
Oh God! Oh my God! You think I - you think - that's absurd! It's preposterous.
I didn't even know this child.
I only remembered her name because she was in my office yesterday:

MRS PHAGAN (approaching the factory)
'Scuse me.

ROOKIE POLICEMAN
Yes, ma'am?

MRS PHAGAN
I'm hopin' you can he'p me.

ROOKIE POLICEMAN
Yes, ma'am.

MRS PHAGAN
Well, my daughter didn't come home las' night.

ROOKIE POLICEMAN
Can I have your name please, ma'am?
Last Update: June, 29th 2013