Sing a Song

An afternoon at sea sounded like a peaceful adventure, but the boys suggested otherwise. Due to the TT motorcycle races, ferries are filled to capacity compromising food service, toilet availability (say no more); further, airfares to Liverpool are less expensive. The boys said Liverpool could be done in one day, so I booked two nights. It’s been eight.

On the waterfront

The first day opens to a drifting white on blue sky. I trace my map to the waterfront and Albert Docks — a tourist complex including The Beatles Story, The Tate and Liverpool Museums and Pier head’s ‘Three Graces’, part of Liverpool’s UNESCO World Heritage site.

Admiring the harmonic blending of historic and modern architecture I hear a voice, “Lovely day, isn’t it?” A dark-haired woman in a floral dress is sitting on a park bench and smiling. This time, I engage with more than an affirmative. She’s having her ‘dinner’ (lunch break) and eating potato chips (I wonder: if they call french fries ‘chips’, then what do they call potato chips?). She points to the Mersey Ferry Building and says, “Tis a beautiful (and unusual) sunny day. Why don’t you take the ferry across the Mersey, you know, like the song?” She hums the melody. (I say),”What!!! I remember that song! Those are the words? That’s here? This is that river?!!!”  Oh no, I’m near-shouting in

Three Graces

mid-western twang. All these years I’ve been singing along: “Oh Mary,

quite contrary”….the actual lyrics are: “So ferry ‘cross the Mersey”…

The Mersey Ferry Building

This enlightening fact begins my magical

The Beatles

mystery tour of Liverpool.

 

After boarding the ferry, I spy a small-framed older woman sitting solo, also eating potato chips (‘crisps’). “Pardon me, may I ask you a strange favor? I just found out the real words to that famous song, you know it…” and I proudly sing to her the chorus with the correct words. “Would you mind

taking a video with me singing the song while we’re actually riding across the River Mersey?!” She is amused (and a little confused). “I don’t know how to work this,” she says she takes the phone from my hand. “And I don’t know how to sing!” We giggle together and I show her how to operate the contraption. Twas a glorious exchange! I like meeting folks this way. I say “No” to selfies and “Yes” to asking a (kind-looking) stranger soon-to-be acquaintance! VIDEO

While waiting at the train station, my last morning in Liverpool, a station employee asked, “Dja like Liverpool, then?” “Oh yes. There’s so much…and I didn’t even do any Beatles stuff! (Although Sir Paul was in town!)

I Saw Him Standing There
(not)

But I DID ride across the River Mersey.” I proceeded to tell him the story. He replied, “Oh, I got one bet-ah for ya. You know the singer Natalie Cole? She sings a song called, ‘I Miss You Like Crazy’. For years I sang along, ‘I’m missin’ my gravy’. And when I found out the words I was singing’ was wrong, I still kept singing me own cuz I loik’em bet-ah!”

we’ve all got one, eh?

at club Jacaranda

 

 

“Life goes on day after day Hearts torn in every way

So ferry, ‘cross the Mersey…”

— Gerry and The Pacemakers

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