One Second Chance - Jeff Bates

"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.