- Poppy: I never knew a man before; not even to talk to.
- Nick Devlin: Well where did they keep you?
- Poppy: In the orphanage with the other girls.
- Nick Devlin: And where was that?
- Poppy: It was in Missouri. It's the only home I really remember. It was in the country.
- Nick Devlin: Then you have nobody?
- Poppy: Just Violet.
- Nick Devlin: Who?
- Poppy: Violet, the other girl that was with me. She's my sister... well, not truly but we're closer than that. Violet and me we'd climb into each other's bed when it was really cold in the winter time and hug each other really close. Sometimes we'd touch each other and dream how a man's hands would feel on us. I'd talk to her in a really deep voice and I'd say, "I love you Violet." Then I'd kiss her so she wouldn't cry. We tried to run away once. But the old woman caught us. She said we couldn't leave that we were being raised up special. But that when we were done there would be lots of handsome men loving us forever.
- Mary Ann: You know, my family were Americans... when yours was still digging the bugs out of Irish potatoes.
- Nick Devlin: Go on, wave a flag and make me laugh.
- Mary Ann: Chicago's a sick old sow. Gruntin' for fresh cream. What it deserves is slop. Some day they're gonna boil that town down for fat.