This week’s Sepia Saturday prompt is transportation. My paternal grandparents’ entrepreneurial
venture with public transportation was a financial disaster for them, but I
have only good memories of the Burlington Cab Company.
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| One of the cab drivers 1956 The office and garage in the background |
Granddaddy Slade was a victim of bad timing. He bought a taxi company about the same time
that the city of Portsmouth introduced busses.
The competition with cheap public transportation was too great to
survive in the taxi business. Ever
positive and confident in the viability of taxis, he and my grandmother moved
to Burlington, North Carolina and purchased another struggling cab company.
In 1952 Daddy moved us to Burlington to help his parents
by driving a cab for them. We lived in
their house. The office and taxi garage
were in the backyard. There was also a
kennel for Granddaddy’s beagles next to the little office.
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| Cabs parked beside our house |
 |
| Home of Fred and Julia Slade |
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| Granny Slade between the office and kennel |
Even though I was very young, a few memories are crystal
clear:
- Brushing and “styling” Granny’s hair as she sat in the office working as the dispatcher
- Riding in the front seat of Granddaddy’s cab and talking to my granny on the two-way radio
- The smell of the garage
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| What a cute brick building -- I wish I could remember what it was used for. |
- The sound of bottles tumbling down the chute of the Coke machine in the garage
- The taste of one of those Cokes that Granddaddy would buy for me
- Sitting on top of a doghouse while Granddaddy fed his hunting dogs
- The big round Coca Cola sign at the corner of the yard welcoming us home
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| Cousin Mary Lois Slade Unknown with dog Granny Julia Slade |
©
2014, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.
What lovely memories you have of them and their business - running your own business is a tough thing to do.
ReplyDeleteRunning your own business is hard, that's for sure.
DeleteThat sounds like a fun atmosphere and a good learning experience for a young child.
ReplyDeleteMy memories are only good ones, so I suppose it was a fun atmosphere.
DeleteTaxi driving is such a precarious business. I'm glad your grandad was so optimistic and the you had a chance at the great memories.
ReplyDeleteToday the taxi business is rather scary, at least where I live.
DeleteGreat memories.I enjoyed the thought of you brushing granny's hair. I think we were all potential hairdressers at one stage or another in our childhood.
ReplyDeleteI practiced my hairdresser skills on a lot of dolls.
DeleteI think there are more memorable story lines set around taxi cabs than buses. Those early 1950 cars were great beasts and now look like dinosaurs. Were they yellow?
ReplyDeleteThose cars do look rather clunky and the tires look spongy.
DeleteOh by the way, I checked with my aunt, and she says the taxis were not yellow but she doesn't remember what color they were. Maybe grey? Carolina Clay?
DeleteWhoa! You had access to an honest-to-gosh Coke machine in your grandfather's garage? I'll bet you were popular with the neighborhood kids!
ReplyDeleteBut I didn't have access to money -- except through a doting grandfather.
DeleteI agree with Barbara, some great memories to have.
ReplyDeleteTruly -- I'm fortunate to have had a good childhood.
DeleteGlad you wrote this, because I never heard you talk about living there. I figured you were too little to remember.
ReplyDeleteGreat memories. I can hear that Coke tumbling down!!
ReplyDeleteThere's something about the sound of an old Coke machine.
DeleteAnd now I have to use taxis because our local bus service has been withdraw as not viable anymore! Strange to see a cab company suffer due to the buses. Is it still the same these days? I hoped you were going to include a shot of the Beagles. The dog in the last shot looks more like a Corgi.
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, the bus system here reduced service many years back. I'd have to take a taxi to get to a bus stop.
DeleteOh, I have some great pictures of those Beagles. I didn't even think to feature them.
I enjoyed the pairing of the photographs with your very vivid memories. Don’t all little girls style granny’s hair? - I know I did!
ReplyDeleteHmm, I'll have to ask my girls if they ever styled my mother's hair.
DeleteI could just taste that ice cold coke as you described it coming out of the machine. Loved your story and hearing of your grandfather's perseverance and your father's loyalty to help him out. What a great family story.
ReplyDeleteNancy
Ladies of the Grove
There's a real difference in the taste of Coke in a glass bottle from Coke in a can or a plastic bottle.
DeleteYou have such great collections of photographs, Wendy! I thought it was interesting to read how many senses were involved in your memories. You didn't say if the business did well in Burlington but I hope it did!
ReplyDeleteI guess Granddaddy did well for awhile, but he bought a business that was in trouble to begin with so it was hard to overcome and then get ahead. Still, he stayed with it for a long time.
DeleteWhat lovely memories and so well written that we could all picture them. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh, well, you're being kind. thanks ~
DeleteIt must have been fun talking over the two-way radio. Great memories.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was fun -- especially for a little kid.
DeleteWhat great memories Wendy!
ReplyDelete