21 - Not Everthing is coming up Roses

Its has been a while since we discussed earthquakes. Well, Indonesia has been struck by two earthquakes in succession. One was a 7.4 and this morning they were struck by a 7.8. Far less intense than the one in 2004. This in connection with the one that struck Haiti, than Chile, than Turkey, than Mexico and Lower Baja California, finally the two in Indonesia.

There have even been earthquakes in Utah, five in a twenty-four hour period. Previous to this, only 23 in the last forty years. In addition, volcanoes have become more active as well. So, what's going on?

There could be a great many plausible answers. One, says that we are simply feeling the affects of the earth's climate change and as a result the plates are shifting more often. Recently, I have heard that the polar alignment could be changing. Another says, this is the beginning to what will conclude on December 21, 2012. Yet another says, these earthquakes are a direct result of using the Bunker Bombs.

I'm not one to panic or let my imagination run away. But I do say, we should keep a keen watch on further seismic activities. Sooner or later the right answer will emerge and when it does, we should be prepared as a world-wide community.

Back to our story:

Well, as you would suspect, nine months after my mother married Ruben, she had her first child – my sister. However, things began to go awry almost immediately. Initially, the physical abuse didn't surface. It was more of neglect than anything else.

Ruben was the type of man, as my mother describes, not to want a steady job although he was talented as mentioned earlier. If he needed two Cuban dollars today, he would go out and flimflam someone and get the money. But as usual, instead of spending it at home he would drink it, gamble it or spend it on his Santeria.

When food was needed, my mother had to go and borrow or find a way to get it to feed my sister. The first room that they had was only four dollars per month and after the 6th month of living there the landlady asked them to leave because Ruben couldn't pay the rent. So, as had been the case in the past, my mother moved in again with her cousin, Arnedo. However, keep in mind that her cousin had his own family and financial worries. But he loved my mother along with another cousin and always took care of them no matter what.

At this point in time, Arnedo was in the military service and had many liberties. One of those liberties was a nice home to live in. So my mother along with Ruben and my sister occupied two rooms in the rear of his home.

This however, did not spur Ruben to do better or provide for his new and growing family. Since Ruben couldn't live to far from his mother's house, shortly thereafter he moved the family to a one bedroom apartment; back in Martin-Perez – a small town in Havana province. By this time my sister was old enough, to be in a day-care. The daycare cost twenty-five cents per week and Ruben couldn't pay that either.

As one could imagine, times were economically difficult for everyone but especially for woman. Jobs were not easy to come by but my mother saw no other recourse but to try and get a job. So, a friend of hers recommended her for a small job in the office where she worked. The job was easy; all my mother had to do was hand out flyers. This helped out quite a bit.

However, one day as my mother was doing chores around the house, Ruben walked in with bloody and muddy shoes. He had just slaughtered a pig and without any regard, walked across the house that my mother had just cleaned. Now you must understand that my mother is not a saint and she does have a temper. So, at the sight of that, she began to yell and scream. Ruben turned and struck her in the face with the leg of the pig. She was hurled backwards and hit the brick wall with her head. This singular incident began a series of attacks that would culminate in their split up.

Now all bloody and bruised, this one time, my mother went and found shelter with my Tio Enrique. My mother describes the following actions, as humorous. Ruben decided to send ambassadors; as my mother describes it. Ambassadors to negotiate her return home. After several months of volleying accusations and requests, my mother returned.