Jason Robert Brown Interrogation: I Am Trying To Remember Lyrics

[NEWT LEE]
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
When the light, it kinda catches
On this pile of rags in the middle of the room...

[Lights come up on the factory basement and we see the body covered with a dirty cloth.]

[LEO, spoken]
Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!

[DETECTIVE STARNES, spoken]
Do you know who this is, Mr. Frank?

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

[NEWT, sung]
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, spoken]
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, spoken]
Oh no. You don't think it was my night watchman
Newt? Newt Lee? You think it was Newt?

[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, spoken]
Oh my Go— 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, spoken]
'Scuse me

[POLICEMAN, spoken]
Yes, ma'am?

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

[POLICEMAN]
Yes, ma'am

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

[POLICEMAN]
Can I have your name please, ma'am?