TROY: A man’s got to do what’s right for him. I ain’t sorry for nothing I done. It felt right in my heart. (To the baby.) What you smiling at? Your daddy’s a big man. Got these great big old hands. But sometimes he’s scared. And right now your daddy’s scared cause we sitting out here and ain’t got no home. Oh, I been homeless before. I ain’t had no little baby with me. But I been homeless. You just be out on the road by your lonesome and you see one of them trains coming and you just kinda go like this…
(He sings as a lullaby.) Please, Mr. Engineer let a man ride the line Please, Mr. Engineer let a man ride the line I ain’t got no ticket please let me ride the blinds
(ROSE enters from the house. TROY hearing her steps behind him, stands and faces her.) She’s my daughter, Rose. My own flesh and blood. I can’t deny her no more than I can deny them boys. (Pause.) You and them boys is my family. You and them and this child is all I got in the world. So I guess what I’m saying is… I’d appreciate it if you’d help me take care of her.
