"...everything comes back. You, too, Samana, will come back."

And he was right. I did return to him. I came upon the ferryman looking into the river lovingly; he too has aged much. I reintroduced myself as the Samana who arrived here 20 years ago and he does the same; his name is Vasudeva. I envied his life by the river, being able to sail it everyday. I seek to be his apprentice and to learn the ways of his boat. He offers to let me stay in his hut for the night and offers bread, water, and mango which I all accept with gratefulness.

Later on we sat down together by the river and I told him my story. All of it. From my origins back at the village all the the way until now. My pains, my loves, my sorrows, my likes, my dislikes, my teachings, my experiences, everything. And Vasudeva just...listened wordlessly. Oh how lovely it was to have someone be so engrossed in my life! Never have I ever encountered anyone who can be so absorbed in my words and I seek to learn from him in this manner. I ended my story with how the river saved my life and how I have grown a love for it, Vasudeva paid particular attention to this part and shut his eyes. After I completed my story, he told me that he will have me live with him and that I am to be a rower, a ferryman, and that I will learn from the river "the other thing". I don't know what this "other thing" is but I look forward to discovering it and living my new life by the river.