The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-05

Aiir SaS sFte yDu up 4EOAF5 Joe
said.
The girl was playing with the peke.
Joe watched her through the mirror,
Her dress was high and he could see
her lace pants. He was almost out.
But he thought, by God I'd like TO
have her.
When they reached the girls nun
her doorman came up to escort
her out Of the cab The clock had
registered forty-five cents. She gave
Joe a half dollar and a quarter
Thank you" Joe said. II was the
largest tip he had received all day.
One more call and ned pack in.
Weiss expected four dollars a day.
To hell with Weiss. A sharp pain
shot through his back. He stopped
the car in the middle Of the street.
Sweat broke out over his eyes, He
Strengthened out. His kidneys again.
After a while he drove on, slowly,
heading for Grand Central.
At 4:30 the meter registered 500.
ice pulled UP to cafeteria at Third
Avenue and Fortieth Street. Rose
would be sore, but he couldn't wait
for supper. He draped q blanket
over the radiator of the car and
entered the restaurant. Several men
nodded He walked I'D to the coun-
ter. Coffee an"
what kind of cake?" asked the
man at the counter.
''Raisin."
Joe deposited his food on table
and removed his cap and gloves. His
hands were griny and he wiped them
on his jacket Mind passin the
sugar. buddy?"
"How's bcokin'?" asked the man at
the table. He pushed a bowl across.
THE coffee was hot. Joe stared out
4 into the street. The windows we're
steam streaked and the street lights
blinked despondently. Damn this
racket" he said 10 the man across
the table, The man shook his head.
He looked weary. Kids have to eat"
the man said He rose and buttoned
his oVercoat. $50 long," Joe was left
alone. He stared into his coffee. A
dirty brown ring encircled the inside
of the cup. 1t was ugly. Belly-wash.
Joe drained his cup, pushed his chair
aside and walked to a corner table.
He noticed a vacant chair and sat
down, "Workin'?" he asked the youth
at his side.
The youth shook his head.
Didn't Sturgis put you on?" 80.
1.-TWO days ago. But I only booked
a deuce yesterday"
The sons of BIS. If you didn't
book, no cab.
What did you clock, Bonasera q"
a man in an Old red sweater asked.
"A trey and change"
Tips too2"
eighty cents"
That amt so bad, considerin' the
weather"
The wife amt interested in the
weather" Joe said. He felt tired
again, His back still ached. A dull,
insis5ent ache. Hackman's earnings.
Bum kidneys and the price Of COT
fee an. That was what Reynolds
said.
Joe turned around. Reynolds was
talking to a thin faced man in an
old army coat. The thin-fsced man
broke in. you know, John, Levine's
got CUTS. Yesterday he beats a light
to the Grand Central entrance.
Hogan is on beat. He blows HI
whistle. Pull up, you Jew bastard,
he yells. Levine pulls up. He Jams
his brakes and jumps out. He heads
for Hogan. Nobody calls me a Jew
bastard, he says, cop or no cop. Write
me q ticket you Co.. So. And
Hogan backs UP. On your way, he
mutters. But Levine told him
Reynolds nodded. He spoke slowly.
Fighting cops, he said, didn't get you
anywhere. You had to get down to
fundamentals. Unionization. Mass
struggle. Joe listened. Some of it
was over his head. He remembered
how they met. That late afternoon,
parked in front Of a Fifth Avenue
store. The limousine pulling up be-
hind him. The chauffeur blowing
his horn. There's plenty of room"
Joe had said. MY madame wishes
to enter the store" the chauffeur
had answered. 'Walkin' a few Steps
won't hurt her" The chauffeur
motioning to the traffic cop. And
Joe drove away.
But Reynolds had witnessed the
incident, Watch me, kid" He
his cab around in a four
corner turn, drove up the block and
then abreast of the limousine. A
swift turn on his wheel, the bumper
clipped the limousine fender, the
fender bent back and Reynolds had
turned the corner. The chauffeur
leaped out swearing. But the cab
was gone.
Now Joe listened to Reynolds talk
ing about class antagonists and he
thought he understood. There were
those mornings, coming down Fourth
Avenue and headed for the down
town financial district, sometimes
with a call and sometimes empty.
The big limou5ines with their liveried
Didn't the traffic cops
wave them by genially, with Good
sir" But suppose you push
a hack, Come on, keep goin'."
Reynolds was still talking. Joe rose
and fished dime out OF his pocket.
"Pullin' in?" asked the man in the
red sweater.
ZOE nodded. He paid his check and
> walked outside. He raced his
motor and drove toward the garage.
Weiss was paying of another driver.
You're late" he said as Joe came IN. !
Your night mans been waitin'." Joe
didn't answer. What did you do?"
Weiss asked. Three twenty" "You |
can't work for me that way" Weiss |
said. Il was delayed in court" Joe
said. He closed his eyes. In two
more minutes he'd let him have r.