After a dull meal of watery soup and bread, Jack retired to the fire escape as Sarah put Racetrack, Jr. to bed. Jack recalled standing in that same spot four years earlier with Davey. The thought saddened him; Davey was not all that bad, especially now that he was dead. He recalled when he had found his body, so cold, his hair wet from the beer. Jack quickly drove the thought out of his mind and began to dwell on his current life. This family, this job, all he had given up just to stay with Sarah. He looked in the window, seeing Sarah in her bedclothes, brushing her hair that never seemed to grow.
"So I made myself a family,
A pregnant wife an' a son,
Why did I ever think dat Sarah was.dah one?

So now I's got a family,
Boy, I wish it weren't dat way,
Wish dat I could be a boy just fer, a day.

When I dream, I'm alone,
On my own, and I'm dah only
One who dreams of a life dats far away.

Why di'nt I move forward?
Oh, why did I look back?
Now I'm stuck in New York with *Sigh*, stupid Les.

And I'm trapped!
Trapped fer good,
Like dah air inside a vacuum,
Why didn't I see my life would be, a mess?

Now we're all out ah dollars,
Gotta job dat doesn't pay!
Dreams were tossed, an' I lost, my Santa Fe-----

Now it's clear I gotta live an' die 'ere,
Now I know I'll never get a break,
Why did I only take what-I was given?
Why did I waste my whole youth livin'?

Trapped without a future,
Even at twenty-one,
Breakin' my back for my dumb family's sake.

Boy dis life don't seem tah suit me,
What I'd give fer a change ah scene,
Far from dah lousy fact'rys an' dah inj'ries in behtween-----"
Jack does a brief dance similar to the one he did four years earlier, but being not so nimble, he pulls some muscles and gets a few bruises. Jack runs toward a painted horse and attempts to jump onto it from behind but has much difficulty with his large gut in the way and eventually spooks the horse, sending it running, and falls to the ground out of breath.
"San--(heaves)--ta Fe!
You (continues heaving) still der? You swear you don't remember me? Guess dat fate desoided dat I gotta stay.

Boy, I ain't gettin' any youngah,
An' until my dyin' day,
I'll lack space, desert air, dey will laugh in my face an' I'll care!
Save a place,
I'll die der.

Oh, why did you want a family?
Now you've got no time tah play,
Now you've got no time tah dream ah.Santa Fe"
Jack has now wandered to the lodging house where he greets Racetrack as he enters. Not until Race asks Jack why he is there does he realize he no longer lives at the lodging house. He had not been to the lodging house in three years, since he moved into the Jacob's apartment after Sarah's parents died. Since he hadn't seen the place in a while he decided to see his old friends and see how the place had changed.
"Heya, Jack!" Kid Blink said as he jumped down from the same bunk he had four years ago, just above Race's. When Les heard someone saying Jack's name he jumped from his bed to give Jack a hug that was particularly excruciating with all of his new bruises and injuries.
"What ya doin' 'ere, Jack? You ain't nevah come round 'ere." Les voiced as a crowd of eager newsies grew around Jack.
"Will ya keep quiet!" Demented Denton shouted above the noise, as politely as possible, "I'm tryin' to get some sleep so I can get up early and sell some papes!"
"Well I bettah get home befer Sarah gits woi'ed." Jack said without answering any of the questions that had come hurling his way.
"Man now that you's married you nevah git tah hang around wit us!" Mush complained, but Jack ignored this and headed down the stairs.
"Heya, Jack!" Crutchy shouted from the top of the stairs, "How's 'bout ya co----" but his words were cut off as he fell down the stairs.
When Jack got home Sarah was already in bed, and asleep. He put on his nightclothes and climbed in beside her and was asleep within minutes.