Even before land routes were solidified, civilization growed besides the rivers, and the only mode of long term communication was to cross the water. But not everyone can cross the water by themselves. Often we need a driver who will ferry others to their destination - The Ferryman.
There's not many people who can steer the boat in the right direction. Oftentimes, the boat faced the growling waves of the hungry water demons. Only a safe boatman can ferry you to your right destination. But what about the boatman? Do we know him? How much time has it been that he is ferrying people off? What happens to him after we got ferried off? Does he stop there? Or goes back? Or he goes on his own different journey?
But think about it, does it matter in the end? His only job is to ferry the passengers to their destination, by keeping them safe from the storm. What happens to him afterwards, isn't really too important or it shouldn't really concern the passengers. After all everyone has their own role to play in the life. The ferryman has only one role, and after he fulfills it continuesly, using up his full life.
The meeting with a ferryman is as fleeting as possible. We take their rides, and safely get delivered to our desired destination. Ferryman's wives or children or their education or what they eat or not, doesn't really matter and shouldn't matter. How long is he on this job, or even if he wants to ferry them, these are all trivialities, doesn't and shouldn't concern the passengers.
That's right. Your job is to ride the boat and enjoy the ride you have paid for. Be careful on the path, since even a qualified ferryman can make mistakes, and the boat can stumble on the chaotic waves. There's no garranty that you won't get wet. But that's just the part of the journey and the low level skills of the Ferryman. You can only blame your luck for that. But don't worry, since he was paid already, he will take you to your rightful destination and travel on the same boat, until you have gone seasick. When you get off the boat on the other side. You can wave a handkerchief to the Ferryman or say thank you. But that's more than enough to shoe your greatfulness. You should start walking from there, someone will surely fetch you up by then. There's no need to look back. But if you do, you might see, he has already pushed the waves back and started his new short journey towards a different direction, slowly vanishing into the horizon. As fleeting as it can be, but he has sent you off. But then it might occur to you~ "Wait, what was his name again"? But, by then there's already so much gap between you too, that it will feel like a fever dream, only a fragmented memory, which may not even surface again in the sea of your consciousness...