
Good Morning,
When I read above news of penny shortage, I remembered my childhood
memorable memory. Well, it says it all…
In 1955, when I was eight years old, I was travelling with my father from
Bombay’s BEST bus. On our opposite bench seat, there was gentleman
who was curiously staring at my eyes and appreciated about the same to
my father and said, “Your son has beautiful, rare and unique Hazel Eyes*.*
So, let me buy you a bus ticket.” He bought our tickets and start singing
Christina Rossetti’s well-known children’s poem to me “Ferry me across
the water do boatman do. If you’ve a penny in your purse I’ll ferry you.”
We were truly blessed with his courteous gesture…

In which a girl asks a boatman to ferry her across the water, and he asks
for a fare. The full verse is:
“Ferry me across the water, Do, boatman, do.”
“If you’ve a penny in your purse I’ll ferry you.”
“I have a penny in my purse, And my eyes are blue;
So ferry me across the water, Do, boatman, do!”
“Step into my ferry-boat, Be they black or blue,
And for the penny in your purse I’ll ferry you.”
“This most memorable memory has made me rich.”
Best regards,
Jayant.
Sharing is Caring…
