As most of you know by now my dad Dr. James H. Means,
Sr. died Sunday and none of us have been able to get much rest since, what with the well-wisher's calls, multiple text messages
inquiring as to whether or not I am "alright" and such, impromptu visits and emails that must be answered immediately
upon receipt, most inquiring of the arrangements while even his body wasn't quite yet cold even. Still I understand.
This is the instant Internet age where the new news is
probably old after a few hours. Of course people want to know what time, where and when to insert into their schedules.
I understand.
It's funny how one guy I barely know wrote inquiring "How are you holding
up?" adding "I doubt you are" as if I would be losing my mind or something... Do you think I would ever disclose that
I am not OK to someone I barely know? "There are no chinks in my armor buddy. I have endured people taunting me and
trying to disrupt my calm and if I can do that, I can do anything." You don't know how angry reading THAT made me, well-wisher
or not. I am not the one... but I will let it roll off me because he doesn't obviously know any better. You think?
Synopsis of My Dream
We were operating a taxi/limo business somewhere in the country near Prairie
View. We had a light blue painted office with asphaulted and striped parking and chain-link fencing that resembled
that of the current facillity at 1135 Gunter Street. Most of the spots were empty because the cars were working and
I now realize that the place was a compilation of all my offices of the past, present and possible future. There was
that place in Bryan that Ray had his company that I bought in 1986, a little of 1129 1/2 East 11th Street where Harlem's original
office was, Lloyd Liveoak's place on South Lamar where he moved Harlem before we bought it from him, our first office at 2416
Webberville Road, where we are now on Gunter St and finally where I wish we could move to, the old Champion Autoplex
that is vacant and would be great for expansion. What an imagination I have, huh?
All our key drivers were there including some deceased ones like Rev.
Algie Collins, Abraham Hill, James Norwood, Sugar Bear Reed and Number 5 were alive and well in my dream. (In
my heart)
Both my parents and my brother, the full partnership of Harlem Cab Inc.
with me, which was truly Austin's first Black Car Service were also in the building, doing whatever they do best.
I was outside trying to repair the wiring under the dash of some car when
I was told there was a problem and I needed to come into the office.
You know how dreams go? They skip.
As I was walking to the office I saw my former driver and retired Austin
Policeman friend Ricky Davis coming out of a building on 11th Street and San Marcos where the Ritter gas station used
to be. He had made some kind of pool hall or club out of it. Strangely Ricky was wearing his old light
blue APD uniform even though the new uniform the Austin policemen wear is a very dark blue. He was walking with his
gunbelt on carrying a box that I assumed had money in it toward the former Union National Bank building at
the corner of 11th and IH35. There were 2 APD officers on bikes looking at traffic as he walked by them. One of
them was my friend Spanky and the other was John Jones. I remember thinking, "I didn't know John could ride a bike!"
Ricky went into the bank.
My dream skipped back
I finally got into the office and there was a phone call for me.
Somone had unplugged my phone at my desk and I suspected my daughter because it was hooked to the computer and that's something
she might've done. I started looking for the jack to re-plug it up.
another skip
All of a sudden I was transported to Astor Place, the house
I bought from and later sold back to my parents after I got married this 2nd time. I finally got the phone plugged
up and it was Peggy calling me, one of our drivers telling me that her sister Cheryl was in trouble and needed help.
Help spelled $$,$$$.
It was then that I remembered something my sister Janet had said
yesterday about what other people think versus whatever is really true... Yes I ride in limos everywhere with a chauffeur
but it's mainly because I am LEGALLY BLIND and cannot drive myself. I know people don't understand about whatever it
is they don't know. So yes it might actually look like I have more $$ than I really have. It's
called Living Rich while Being Poor.
