Troubling update from Cuba

I received his update about 10pm Sunday (3/29)/2020:

After four days here in xxxxxx, Cuba, under a mandatory lockdown inside our home, I’ve spent a lot of time in our rocking chair out on our balcony reading (“Splendid and the Vile,” by Eric Larson) and observing the certain changes in the daily behavior of the thousands of pedestrians, bicyclists, etc., dashing here and there on the street below. Likewise on several occasions I’ve been out; on my bicycle also, scurrying about with them, searching for necessities for our survival: water, food and to get things that were broken heretofore, repaired. Hence, I’ve had a birds eye view of the sense of urgency that has been cast upon the citizens as they attempt to face head on, comprehend, and adjust to the inevitable. The arrival of an invisible enemy (Covid-19) that has been long talked about by their government and its media apparatus. But now a stark reality of a possible death within their midst; abounds! And if you recall from my previous report. Last Tuesday the twenty fourth of March everything changed when the government here in our city closed the schools, virtually all public establishments, and told every one to go to their homes and stay; especially the children, and stay their with few exceptions. But since then; I’ve noticed a gradual up-tick in pedestrian activity here in the city. And at least ninety percent of them, or waring face mask as they move back and forth. I believe the reason for this increase in pedestrian activity is because many essential services have been ordered to reopen. And a good number of these individuals are waring federal uniforms of all kinds. And that most government offices have scheduled their employees to return to there workplaces for security reasons, to prevent looting and be available for vital services if needed. Thereupon each employee is working at least one day a week or more as a guard in his or her place of employment. For example, yesterday a friend, neighbor and a boss here in the city pounded on our door and shouted, “Yxxxxx (my wife), I need a mask! Well, I need five face mask to be exact, because no one is allowed to go into our office building without one.” Then he handed my wife the money in advance of making them, “but I’ve got to have one for me, right now,” he continued speaking to my wife’s mother Nxxxxx who didn’t have a single one completed. Then Yxxxxxx took upon the task and hurried back to her machine, made one, walked downstairs and handed it to her mother within 3o minutes. Then Yxxxxx walked on over to the clients home to inform him that one of the 5 he wanted was ready, but he wasn’t there so she returned, but as she approached our’s and her mother’s doors, she noticed her mother taking money from another customer through her door, then Yxxxxx asked her. “What are you doing mama?” “I sold him a mask, what do you think?” she murmured. “What mask?” Yxxxxx asked. Her mother stared at her with absolute amazement spread all over her face while pondering the question, this I was told. Then her mother exclaimed! “ The mask you just handed me!” “What!, I made that was for the neighbor, and he has already paid-for it! The words ejaculated from my wife’s lips. “WTF!” So down the stairs I bounded to witness the misunderstanding, between my wife and her mother, but after a few choice words and some deadly facial expressions passing back and forth between them, they both shook their heads smiled and resumed the task of producing the five mask they were under obligation to produce before the customer returned to take them, at eleven. Then, on another occasion; just this past Friday, a sweet little lady rushed up to Yxxxxx’s mother’s door, desperately needing a mask; on her face, before entering her place of employment. Nxxxxx promptly handed her one through the door and the lady handed Nxxxxx the payment, neatly folded. Then after taking the money, Nxxxxx turned her back to the entrance and headed toward her work station 3 or 4 yards back inside her home, but just before she reached the back of the chair she was anticipating taking a seat on, she discovered in her hands only half the money she had charged for the mask; “she wailed,” to the top of her voice. Yxxxxx’s sister ran to the door and stuck her head beyond the jamb and looked right, there she saw the woman as she turned right at the corner 30 yards away and then, out of sight. Yxxxxx leaped from the door landed on her feet in a full stride toward the corner, there she looked around it but the woman had vanished. Pissed! Because, we had no drinking water in the home, so I was forced to take a perilous trip on my bike to refill one of two, of our six gallon empty water jugs and procure a few other items on a growing list of things we needed to acquire while I was out. But because I had a couple of “spokes” broken away from the rear rim of my bicycle, I was afraid to load the additional weight of water (50 pounds), upon the rear wheel for fear of breaking another spoke, so as a precaution, I stopped by a repair shop to have the two broken ones replaced, and the others fine turned. Done, I dashed directly to a nearby outdoor market: purchased a few more pounds of black beans; a staple in times like this, a couple of large papayas, a string of garlic and some onions, then over to the ice cream factory, and filled the jug I carried with fresh water to drink. But, during my quest for our necessities I couldn’t help but notice, all but a few people scurrying about including myself were waring face masks that reflected every color of a rainbow, and also moving about with a sense of purpose. And not one person was dawdling an attribute of Cuban society, and another attribute of the Cuban culture is that the older kids play kick ball in the middle of the streets for entertainment when not in school. As a result of the present danger that activity has disappeared too along with our grandchildren which I’ve not seen since the lockdown was announced last Tuesday. But I’ve heard that some of the younger children, within different neighborhoods had been venturing out of their homes and into the streets to play,... but that activity was squashed immediately by the authorities who announced over the radio, as well, for this activity to cease, and if seen by anyone; any where, please call the police. Long lines prevail wherever: food, paper products, soap, oil, toothpaste, etc., are for sale. Not because those wanted items are in short supply, but because of the exponential rise in prices of everything essential. And with out a doubt. Heretofore the virus too, was was kilometers away in some distant provinces or countries. Thereupon, deviation from normal behavior was not necessary and the people responsible for those kinds of things; thought they only needed to curtail the transportation system and close the borders until the threat abated. However, today Saturday March 28th there’s one case of the Covid-19 amongst the population here in our quiet little city despite all our efforts to prevent that from happening. And as a result, and without a doubt there is an obvious change in the Citizenry’s: postures, demeanors and their overall appearances, as the news that one of their own has been infected by this life threatening influenza. As a result of knowing the unimaginable is amidst, they’re actually trotting through these almost empty streets without tarrying in the least bit, with their heads lowered looking straight ahead, shoulders rounded, faces shrouded from the crown of their noses down and beneath their chins. Another reaction, from this depressing discovery is that everyone “today” is waring some kind of eye protection; in addition, the women that are “with child” even have their heads wrapped. Thereupon, unless, you know the persons you’re observing very well, they’re almost unrecognizable in their rigged, colorful and protective attire, which is a stark contrast to the carefree and dawdling behavior that was exhibited amongst the population here in eastern Cuba; just one week ago.” When “I” too began pining for the return of normality(?). 

Tennessee: 1834  Loudon County: 8

Note from Cuba

Public notice from Cuba

We have a friend who lives in Cuba, they have had a pretty normal life in their small coastal city until today.  Here is a text I received Tuesday:

Here in xxxxxx, Cuba our family (they all have new “Singer” sewing machines), is making mask for: the citizenry, hospitals, clinic’s, students, etc. Unfortunately, much sought after face mask are basically nonexistent here in the city, and needless to say business is booming at a reasonable price of $.75 cents each. In addition there is a shortage of petroleum. Thereupon some food stuffs are in short supply: beans, spaghetti, rice, and cooking oils. Regardless, and as most of us know, with enough money anything that one desires can be found. Furthermore, despite the information available to the public about the spreading of the “Coronavirus” schools had remained open and everyone appeared to be going on about their lives as though the pandemic was not a real threat; whatsoever, to the Island. Not withstanding, today March 24th, all has changed in xxxxxx as far as I can see: schools are closed, the libraries too, public transportation has been shut-down across the provinces, the citizens are not permitted to leave the island and the citizens returning from their visits to other countries must go directly into quarantine for a minimum of 14 days after arriving here in Cuba. And any non-resident Cuban living here has been asked not to venture out of their homes into the streets. For many reasons.

About two weeks ago our family started manufacturing “face mask” because there were inadequate supplies being made by the local government owned workshops to handle the anticipated demand. There were already, long lines to procure a face mask from them, and as a result the our family’s small enterprise has grown beyond our imagination and we’re struggling to keep up with the demand from people just passing by the door on the street, wanting some kind of basic protection from just coincidentally meeting another person on the narrow sidewalks, as they walk from here to there or the spray from another person’s mouth after they spat in the air or sneezed from their bicycle just as they passed them by. Admittedly.

The Cuban people are an independent lot by nature, and they virtually produce almost all the food necessary for their existence right here on the island. But recently because of the petroleum shortages here on the island their ability to move produce efficiently back and forth across the country from where they are produced has been curtailed. Items such as: black beans have been hard to find, red beans are plentiful but 25% higher in price. Chicken seems to be nonexistent, unless you have one in the back yard. Pork, has all but disappeared from the normal places that sale meat, and we’re having to locate a person that has raised and held on to the animal until the prices increased from the normal price of a dollar pound, to a blistering $1.50 cents, before he slaughters it. But because of the request from the government, for all its citizen to take cover!

Today, most Cubans here in xxxxxx have disappeared from the streets. The schools are closed and believe it or not, I’ve not seen one child out and about, but there are many adults meandering around searching for necessities for their families, whereby these strays are masked and noticeably spread apart. In addition, most families from what I hear have a Clorox solutions available in their home for that occasional visitor that normally drops by. This practice —addiction— has been discouraged by the authorities, even amongst family members. Therefore, frustration abounds. In addition.

All those packed buses that passed by our front door just yesterday; one after another all day long; moving thousands of citizens packed inside of them shoulder to shoulder; like earth worms back and forth throughout the streets in xxxxxx, have vanished like some puff of smoke from this one way street. But to my pleasure though; the loud air-horns that the bus drivers blew as a warning just before the intersection 30 yards further on to my right, and just outside of our balcony, as they passed beneath are unheard now, and a welcomed relief for me. As a result though: this lockdown by the Cuban government is to save the lives of it’s helpless citizens. As a result.

We’re safer, but are all, restricted from moving about unnecessarily to: one city or another, or even considering traveling in any direction to a resort, or an airport to take us away from Cuba to another country; if we so desired. The first day. 

My friend said they have had large numbers of tourists recently. Mostly from Italy, Spain and other European countries.  I'll let you know if I receive anything else from Cuba.   

 Tennessee: 667  Loudon County: 2