Thursday, April 5, 2018

Our Past Is Present April 5, 2018


April 5, 2018
            Welcome to another program of “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.
            Today’s story is about Ed “Slim” Winzeler the man who was behind the wheel of Yellow Cab Number 35.  Slim often drove with a pipe in his mouth and wore a checkered hunter’s cap on his head.
            When he was not working you could find him sitting in the main office at 112 W. Ninth Street listening to the scanner at the main desk. If not there, he might be found cruising past Montgomery Ward’s, Wal-Mart, Dillon’s or Safeway.  He stated that he doesn’t drive a cab for the money, “but for something to do.  If I’d quit – I’d go crazy.”
            Winzeler drove trucks for the U.S. Army for 17 years while stationed overseas or at Fort Riley.  He also drove trucks as a Civil Servant.  In 1967, he began working for Yellow Cab, which at one time had been Dime-N-Taxi.  He worked 11-12 hours a day with the taxi service, which had 14 cabs running 24 hours a day.  Unlike the taxi stories one hears about in big cities, Winzeler’s workday was usually calm and crime-free.
            Sometimes if people can’t pay, they will give me their watch until they can.  He said, “One time a girl gave him her coat to keep until she could pay him the following day.”
            There was a $1.00 a mile rate.  
            Winzeler was paid by commission and preferred driving in order to get more customers over a shorter period of time.  He shared that some customers share their stories with him.  He stated that “They’ll talk about weather, wives and kids and sometimes they’ll talk about their problems.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t ask.  They just tell me. I just listen and say yeah, yeah.  I don’t get involved, but try to be polite.”
            It seems that there are fewer cabs in town since the A.T.A. Bus service has come to service those who need transportation - at least that is your host’s observation.  Well… thanks for reading today to “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.

No comments:

Post a Comment