TIS not often Liberty Island ferrymen and those that ply the Ellis island ferry around New York show agitation. “She was crying,” said a ferryman to his wife that night, “I swear I saw them tears roll down the Statue of Liberty’s cheeks!” “Oh, the poor thing!” cried his wife.
It was the next morning when the ferrymen went to start their long boats on their cruises, did they see something missing on the New York skyline, “Liberty’s gone!” they shouted aghast. “Liberty’s gone!” shouted all the ferrymen, even those that went to Ellis Island, “Liberty’s missing!”
It was an old homeless fellow nearby who seemed to know what had happened, but since his beard reeked of yester night’s whiskey, most did not believe what he said. “She was crying,” said the homeless drunk, “And I shouted across to her, hey Liberty why’re you weeping?”
“You shouted across the river?” asked a New Yorker with disdain, “You can’t be doing such to good ole Liberty!” “Let it be, what did she say?” asked an officer taking out his book and scribbling, “What did Ms Liberty say?” “She had this plaque in her hand,” said the homeless, “and I swear she read some lines out to me!”
“Liberty spoke with you?” asked the New Yorker, sniggering. “What did she read?” asked the officer. “Something like this,” said the homeless man drawing himself up with as much dignity as he could muster, she said “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
There was silence around the homeless man as he slowly slunk to the ground again, “She then bent down and tried to put back that plaque beneath where she was standing, but it didn’t fit back anymore, and so weeping, she threw it into the sea!” “And where did Liberty go?” asked the officer looking at the homeless drunk, “You must have seen where our Liberty went?”
“I did,” said the homeless drunk, “I did!” and none of the New Yorkers around believed the homeless fellow was telling the truth, “She walked into the sea, and said she’d be back when the plaque fitted back again! She said them words were meaningless now!”
’Twas late that night, the ferryman told his wife the story, “It’s all them Republican fellers fault,” he said, “Imagine not impeaching a president that caused a riot and wanted our democracy to crumble! I wonder when she’ll be back?” “When our nation and them lawmakers are right and ready for her again..!” said the ferryman’s wife sadly.
