One Second Chance

"It says here you're from Houston: You're certified to drive a truck.

"It doesn't say what you been doin' the last five years."

Then I watched his eyes keep readin', then I watched his eyes look up,

An' watched another job I needed disappear.

'Cause when they get to the line: "Have you been convicted of a crime?"

They say: "Thanks for comin' in," an' they don't call you back.

I ain't askin' for every job under the sun:

I just want one second chance.

On August twenty-second, well, little Jacob's turnin' five,

But his Momma moved him half-a-state away.

I left another message on her phone at home last night,

An' she fin'lly had her lawyer call today.

She knows I can't afford to take this thing to court,

And I'm tryin' hard to make her understand:

I ain't askin' for every weekend of every month,

I just want one second chance.

I was young an' I was stupid: I regret it every day.

I ain't sayin' I didn't do it but I 've paid for my mistakes.

It's a lost and empty feelin' when they don't want you around,

Yeah, I finally got my freedom but what good is it now?

There's some days when it feels like it's been a hundred years;

Sometimes it feels like only yesterday.

We were paintin' Jacob's nursery, countin' days till he was here.

Next thing I knew, I'd thrown it all away.

Now I know I can't go back to the life I used to have,

When I still held the whole world in my hands:

I had a job, I had a wife, I had a son,

Now I just want one second chance.