I tried to buy Mr. Townsend out several times but he wouldn't sell to me.  I think it was that "youth" thing again.  I asked that he give me first option when he was ready to sell it, but he didn't take me seriously, I was later told.  I moved to Dallas and pursued my law enforcement career, only to learn from my friends inside Harlem Cab that Mr. Townsend sold his half of Harlem Cab to a Black entrepreneur named Marcellus Jack Anderson, Sr.  I was upset that Mr. Townsend had not kept his word, but I was happy because Mr. Anderson and his family were friends of mine since birth.  I came back and helped them.  We helped each other. They bought out Mrs. Heard and owned the whole company. I was fairly content until Mr. Anderson sold Harlem to a White fellow out of Ft Worth, TX named Jerry Wilson.  Mr. Wilson owned a company named Greater Southwest Transportation Company, and he operated about five Yellow Checker Cab Companies across the region, including the one in Austin.  Although Mr. Wilson had great vision and I learned a lot from the way that he did business, I did not really like him because I did not want Harlem controlled by white people.  I guess I was predjudiced.

 

Mr. Wilson tried to merge Yellow Checker Cab and Harlem Cab and the drivers had a fit.  I helped the fight by using my families' political connections at city hall.  I made a lot of mistakes, angered many people (that are probably still my enemies) but it was all a fun, learning adventure that I cherish. 

 

Mr. Wilson gave up and sold both Yellow Checker Cab Company and Harlem Cab Company to Mr. Lloyd Liveoak, who claimed he was an Indian, but he still acted White.  Liveoak, as we all called him, was very good at the cab business but not very good at the people business.  He tried to be a good owner, but we were still very unhappy.  We wanted Harlem to be Black again.  Liveoak wanted to merge the two companies, and that set all of us on a collision course with destiny.