Metropolitan news., 1935-06-11
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POTpOURRI
HUMAN THOUGHT
REACTIONS AND
FRAILTIES
We are all but fellow
travellers
Along life's weary way;
If any man can PLAY the
pipes,
In GODS name let him play
Anon
SMILEY
BY Jackie Mack

He was chubby and fat and car
ried with him all the nice things
usually associated with fat people.
To begin with, he was always jol-
ly. Today, the eyes that usually
carried an indulgent and mer-
ry twinkle, We're listless. Sensing
that something was wrong, and
that he wanted to get it off his
chest, | stepped into the cab.
We always drove fast, for l was
usually late. Now, however, we
dragged along in the heavy traffic
unmindful of the irate glances, the
vile epithets of other taxi drivers
who hurtled past, incensed that
someone should choose such busy
thoroughfare for a Sunday after
noon outing. During the months
that he had carried me to work in
termittently, we had come to the
point of discussing almost any
thing that came to our minds. He
had always flouted cares, and he
seemed to have not worry in the
world. Whenever | complained of
having to rush through my chores,
or to work late, he dispelled my
cares with a grin and a witty re-
mark. l was disturbed that he
should appear SO glum, so, since we
had plenty of time, | did not urge
him to lift out of that snail's pace.
Without preamble, he began to talk.
"They surely don't want a col
ored man to get ahead. No, they
don't. They know that if we stand
in one place like they do on the
cab stands, We can't make living.
And that's the truth. We got to
keep moving and pick up our fares
whenever and wherever we can. If
we don't do that we go in the hole.
Not many of the boys on the boule-
ward own these cabs, and we have
to pay $40 to rent them for eight
hours. No. they sure can't stand
to see a colored man try to make
an honest living.
"And then they complain when
we get on the relief rolls. | don't
want to do that, because l always
thought l could take care of my
own family. If | didn't think
could do that, l wouldn't have got
married, but l have to pay rent on
this taxi, and put in my own gas
and oil, and if l have a blowout,
that's my worry. | have had this
thing since seven o'clock this morn
ing, and l haven't cleared pen
ny. At the rate l am going now,
they will be owing me money for
driving it. It's all blown up to-
excuse me, miss, but | don't know
what we poor folks going to do"
So preoccupied was he that he
ran through red light. We were
not in danger of an accident, as
there were no cars approaching,
and he was sublimely oblivious to
the glare extended him by the cap
on the beat. Here all these jit-
ney cases are coming up today.
The boys got the smartest law
yers they could find, and most like
ly will beat the cases, but that is
just the beginning. If they decide
they want to get us, they will be-
fore it is all over with. They just
want to run US off the South side.
People who ride with us wouldn't
ride with those drivers who put a
meter on them, and l know it. They
hire us because we are as cheap as
the bus, and get you there quick
er.
"Guess I will have to go back in
to the newspaper business. They
still make money, don't they?"
| was on the verge of a reply,
but found it unnecessary, as he had
gone Off on a tangent of reminis-
cling. "You know, l worked on one
paper for seven years. l was the
first colored man to work on a
white newspaper in the town where
/ lived. 1t was a lot of fun in those
days. A fellow didn't have such a
hard time.
"But then my wife said I could
make good here, and she wanted to
come back to live where all her
folks were, and we had to pack up
and move here. | got a job that was
a pretty good racket, but it fold
ed up out of a clear sky.
81 couldn't sit down on my wife's
folks. l got to be man, so | went
to driving a truck. First thing you
know there are white men want
ing the jobs we colored hovs had,
and they laid US off. | started driv-
ing taxi then. Haven't been able
do much good since I've been here.
The place must be jinxed for me.
Don't know what Pm going to do"
| got out of the cab and strolled
into the office in a sort of daze?
What was wrong? Here was a man
who had always managed to get
along, if I were. to believe his sto-
ny. q had no cause to doubt him).
His personality certainly made up
for what he lacked by way of form
al education.
Had something gone wrong
with his mental attitude? Had he
got up on the wrong side of the
bed" this morning? l could hard
ly believe that, for it was such a
contrast from his customary atti-
tude. Had something gone radi-
cally wrong with the economic
scheme of thinps7
| didn't figure it out to my sat-
and / left him with a