Obligatory Walk / Rosa María Rodríguez Torrado

Obligatory Walk / Rosa María Rodríguez Torrado
Rosa María Rodríguez Torrado, Translator: mlk

Rafa and I go out many times in order to shop for provisions, which in
Cuba must be daily. It is not that we like to walk, it is that because
of the instability of the scarce supplies in the state stores; the
offers grow scarce, and there is little variety. So although the foods
we eat generally are average and nationally produced, we must "stomp
them" as if we were epicures of the palate and pay exorbitant prices for
them.

Many of us in Cuba have listened to sales clerks from some state shops
say that "in a few days" products will arrive and assure that they are
"expecting the boat;" and we shrug our shoulders because we don't know
if it's a joke or irony concerning the boat that each day tires our
patience more.

Anyway, although my husband and I are transparent and publicly say what
we think and write it, too, we acquired years ago the habit of going out
to walk — basically at night — in order to "dispatch" some matters
concerning our way of thinking and activities. Because it is good to
walk but not to facilitate the "omnipresent ones" who harass and listen
to us in their job of conveniently transferring our talks to their
respective headquarters. May they sweat their salaries and "stomp" the
information like Rafa and I with the food. I think.

Translated by mlk

May 14 2012

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