By Irina Pino
HAVANA TIMES – Today is Christmas Eve. What fun! A holiday to be spent with the family, or with friends. We have to get things ready, buy food in advance, go to the the private Mexprimen (squeeze you dry stores) as I call them because prices are so high.
Lots of people are planning a full-out party, but the truth is everything is hard, there isn’t enough food for us to be thinking about this traditional meal. Eating is a necessity. Nourishing the body is a pipedream.
A friend invited me to the Casa de la Amistad on December 24th, but I still don’t know if I’m going or not. It’s normally rock band La vieja escuela playing, and guest bands perform too. They mostly do covers, although they also play original songs too.
People who go are rock fans and go to shake their bones, as we say here. Although people come here to let loose, to get away from the insecurity of a landscape that has become totally uninhabitable for people without financial means; and can just about put a plate of food on the table.
The TV show Con filo is recorded in the same backyard where rock bands play. This show is just about showing and defaming people who express their disagreement with the system in Cuba. The worst thing is they are trying to convince the TV audience.
Let me tell you that the host of the show is Michel T. Corona, a young Law graduate who is currently serving as the director of the Nuevo Milenio publishing house, for scientific literature, if this term exists. According to an interview I read, he started out with a blog, and he later published his work in the official Granma newspaper and Cubadebate online. Finally, he was chosen to be a substitute host for Con filo, and he then ended up as the main host. A tremendous evolution, don’t you think? But that’s what happened.
He says the team meets five days before recording to organize everything. He also explains how he doesn’t have time to read anymore. How does that make any sense? Doesn’t he have to inform himself of what’s going on before going on air? How is he managing a publishing house if he isn’t a scientist or writer?
Beer is sold and other products at Casa de la Amistad when filming happens, if there are enough supplies. However, when Sunday rolls around, there’s not even the basic for rock fans. Only (diluted) beer on tap, and wine bottles of dubious quality, that are also super expensive. In short, it’s unfair.
I’m pretty sure I’ll stay at home in peace on December 24th, I’ll make a normal meal with whatever I have, and I might buy a bottle of wine to go with it. Then, I’ll watch a movie, read a book and listen to a bit of music. In the evening, I’ll talk to my family who lives in the US on WhatsApp, and we’ll wish each other good health.
I remember back in the ‘90s, when I was studying English at the Abraham Lincoln language school (that doesn’t exist anymore), a classmate told me that he had to get everything ready at home so he wouldn’t have to go outside.
He had a great library, an amazing music system, and he tried to stock up on food well in advance.
He’d have get-togethers with his closest friends; although he invited me once and I had a great time, it was a friendly atmosphere and intelligent people.
He was somewhat of a fortune-teller, because he’d always tell me: things are only going to get worse, food prices will go up; violence will make going out at night dangerous. He also said that the rations booklet would have less products. Last, but not least, he said the exodus would be one of the greatest events on the island. He just had to add public protests.
That man was very clear with his premonitions. He might not be living in Cuba anymore.
Read more from the diary of Irina Pino here.
