Abuelos

Of course, the absolute best part of Nola is family. We visit the Abuelos daily. The kids usually goof around and watch either snippets of Spanish daytime drama television, or monitos like Tom and Jerry.

While in Nola, I was reading a  historical fiction about Cuba, so I asked a lot of questions. Hector Senior said he was in the army jail for 10 days. His main comment was that the food was great. Hector Junior later told me his father was thrown in jail bc they found a camera in his glove compartment and accused him of being a spy. 

Hector Junior said one of the first things he remembers about Fidel coming into power was in school when his teacher told the kids to "Pray to God and ask for ice cream." Then she said, "Did you get your ice cream? Now pray to Fidel and ask for ice cream." Another teacher came into the classroom with ice cream from Fidel.  

Usually Maria tells a slew of stories that, at times, I find difficult to follow. This visit, Maria told some stories, but not as much as usualy; I'm afraid dementia is setting in. It was scary and emotional, especially as we said goodbye, not knowing what progression the dementia would take by the next time we see them. I feel a pit in my stomach even now, as I think about it; the number of goodbyes we say are lessening. I love Hector and Maria. I have grown to love them even more as I have watched them age and have aged with them. I feel a deep responsibility for their wellbeing. We dis their yard work and I got Maria a new kind of cane and two types of shower chairs, and installed her shower handles. 

Installing a new garden in the front yard was extremely fulfilling.

Gardening has always been a great love of the Abuelos.

 

On June 21, Hector Sr told us it was the Dia de San Juan, who is the patron saint of Guantanamo. In Cuba, they would celebrate by taking a picnic to the river and cooking the fish they caught: fresh and delicious! On another occasion, Hector Sr said that Cheguevara was "maldita," promising industrialization, but sending everything to Russia, because "Russia does nothing for free." In contrast, Batista didn't kill extravagantly--he was nothing but a "ladron." "His troops would come to his store and take a cigarette or a beer. Fidel came and took the keys to the store. You tell me which is worse." 

Hector Jr added that Batista didn’t kill extravagantly, while Fidel killed thousands. Batista threw Fidel in jail, but then pardoned him. Then, Fidel and his insurgents organized in Mexico and came back with a vengeance. That’s why Fidel had no mercy--he feared someone would do the same thing he had done. He killed everyone so they couldn’t come back and dethrone him.

I also spoke to Olga about her life in Cuba. Olga remembers fear. Their food was rationed and they had to wait in long lines for basic supplies. One day, after buying meat on the black market, they heard that their meat supplier had been arrested. She remembers being afraid that he had ratted them out and the they would be arrested for having meat in their refrigerator.