William Kennedy - Chango's Beads and Two-Tone Shoes

The women in front were arguing with the soldiers. Why can’t we go down San Pedro? A lieutenant said, nobody goes, an answer as arbitrary as the new military violence that had been terrorizing the city in recent nights — reprisal for work stoppages, for the growing public support of the Santiago underground and for Castro’s rebels. Three rebel bombs had gone off this week, one on the patio of navy headquarters. Military jeeps now patrolled the streets and the central highway, and the roads to Ciudamar, El Caney, El Morro, and the airport were all barricaded, with checkpoint guards stopping every car. Most businesses were closed, and pedestrians few.

Three nights earlier packs of army, navy, and police raiders invaded public plazas and parks, clubbed pedestrians with gun butts, slashed them with whips, overturned tables in cantinas, yanked people out of cars or off porches of their homes in random attacks against all classes of the population who might or might not be guilty of rebellion, or thinking about rebellion. The raiders picked up one youth who had grown a beard, which was the black flag of the revolutionaries, for Fidel wore a black beard. The raiders crucified the youth, spreadeagled him on top of a police car and drove him through the city with eight other police cars blowing their horns to show the town what happens to rebels who let their hair grow. People locked their doors and windows and stayed home. The count of men who had disappeared rose to seven, then to eighteen, but no one thought that was the end of it. Of these very new events Renata knew almost nothing when she started talking to the woman protester.

Renata felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Felipe Holtz with a great new shock of black hair, he had let it grow, and a substantial new mustache, well shaped and deep black, more handsome than ever. He wore a tan linen sport coat and she thought him very attractive; but she was not in love with him. She knew that immediately. She had loved many things about him for years. She did not think he would ever become involved with the rebel cause. He was smart and serious but he did not seem drawn to this danger like Diego. He seemed a man for whom danger was déclassé.

He said to her in English, “We’ll go now, my dear,” and squeezing her arm firmly he pulled her away from the woman and toward Calle Heredia that bordered the Hotel Casa Granda. He put his arm on Renata’s shoulder as they walked and with deft fingers untied the knot in her black scarf, pulled it off her arm and palmed it. Renata stopped to look back and saw the women yelling at the soldiers as two fire trucks and four police vans arrived. A lieutenant colonel was shouting orders to the fire trucks and troops. The women broke ranks and moved singly into the park and stood on sidewalks, watching City Hall. The troops separated to widen their blockade of the dispersed women.

Holtz led Renata into the open entrance walkway to an apartment building and said, “That is a wig you’re wearing, isn’t it?”

“It is.”

“Give it to me,” and he stuffed the wig flat under his shirt and buttoned his sport coat. He rolled her scarf into a ball and pushed it into a crevice in the brick wall of the walkway. Then he led her back to the street and made her walk ahead of him.

She had not expected to see him. She had left him messages and knew if he got them he would call and invite her to his home. She tried to tell him this but he said don’t talk, just walk, you must be a crazy person to stand in the middle of a protest with soldiers about to pounce.

“You are correct,” she said. “I am a crazy person.”

“That’s no excuse. Do you think you will get up to see Fidel by being arrested?”

“Why do you say I want to see Fidel?”

“Because everybody wants to see Fidel. I also talked to Moncho who talked to Max who talks to everybody. You’ll come to my house.”

“Of course I’ll come to your house. That’s why I’m here. Where is Moncho? I saw him at Esme’s house after the Palace attack.”

“He’s in Palma Soriano. You’ll see him. He thinks the SIM may be after him and it’s possible, but he also may be bragging.”

“Moncho is very beautiful when he is angry. His words are beautiful.”

“And you are more beautiful than ever,” Holtz said.

“Are you still in love with me?”

“No. I’ve known you too long and you live in Havana. Also you are too beautiful to love.”

“I’m traveling with an American who loves me.”

“I know. In spite of that we will bring him along.”

“Why are those soldiers surrounding the women?”

“The women are very important today. They have a message for the ambassador.”

“Am I in trouble for being with the women?”

“It’s possible. The military has big eyes. They trust no one. But at least you’re no longer a blonde.”

A woman screamed and as Renata turned she saw a soldier striking the screaming woman with the butt of his rifle. Other women broke through the ranks of soldiers and yelled things Renata could not understand as they ran toward the men coming out of City Hall. Firemen opened their hoses and the force of the water knocked down many of the women, drove them against buildings. Still they came running, and soldiers clubbed a few. Two women, both drenched, reached the limousine and were yelling to the man Renata took to be the ambassador, and they shook their flyers at him. The man took one flyer and waved his hands to the troops to stop the water cannons. He spoke inaudibly. Soldiers were dragging and pushing most of the women into vans. Renata counted two dozen arrested and saw the lieutenant colonel approaching the ambassador.

She and Holtz were now past her hotel and out of sight of the women and soldiers.

“Those brave women,” she said.

“They are ready to die for their anger. We have to get you away from Santiago and out to my house,” Holtz said. “We don’t want you dead.”

“I must go to the hotel.”

“Not now. They have chivatos spying on people like you, and they monitor the phones. One of them may have seen you at the protest. You’re out, so stay out.”

“I have no clothes.”

“You can wear Natalia’s. You’re the same size. Later we’ll find a way to get your clothes.”

“I have a gun in my suitcase.”

“What kind of gun?”

“A Colt.38. A Cobra.”

“What do you want with a gun?”

“I want to give it to Fidel.”

“Then we must get it. Give me your key. They’re not looking for me yet.”

“Bring my chartreuse blouse and black skirt. The pistol is wrapped in my underwear. Bring my underwear. And the bottle of Gardenia perfume. And my Changó and Oshun beads. You know the Changó and Oshun beads, don’t you? Of course you do.”

“I will carry what I can hide on my body. I can’t come out bulging in unusual places.”

“Then just the blouse, the gun, and the underwear. You can wear the beads. I do.”

“Don’t tell me how to behave, Renata. You are insane and insane people do not give good counsel. Go sit in that café and have a coffee. I’ll come by on the other side of the street and then you follow me at a distance.”

“Where will we meet Quinn?”

“Moncho will contact him at the hotel or he’ll find where he is from Max. Don’t worry about Quinn.”

“I do worry. I met him two days ago and he wants to marry me.”

“Smart americano. I’m glad to see you, Renata.”

“I am very happy to be rescued by you, Felipe. You are a dear man.”

“I’m trying to get over that. We also rescued your guns from the apartment on Sixteenth Street, your friend Alfie and I.”

“You got them? Maravilloso. Where are they?”