One hundred and eight years ago the "land of the free" invaded the island where I was born, took it from Spain and made it their colony, and when the UN said colonies were not cool anymore, they made it a Hollywood star and said it was no colony, it was a Commonwealth with its own sovereignty for God's sake (with the help of local politicians)!!.

Hooreeey!!! Ching, ching pic, pic! PR was all that Cuba wasn't after Fidel! Ching, ching, pic! pic! But Hollywood actors are persons full of make-up and now the US said "time to wash yourself, you do what we tell you to do". A named-junta or group of people will now decide over the elected government where the money should go in favor of bond holders to solve the economic crisis above the needs of the people living in the island. People who believed the Red Carpet walk are surprised, but many knew that we have been a colony of "the land of the free" since 1898 (118 effing years ago and counting), to the point that 38 years ago (also this exact day), two students who supported independence for the island, were framed and killed as terrorist, shot point blank on their knees on a fake terrorist attempt by the police while the pro-statehood governor proclaimed the killers as heroes. There was nothing on their backpacks, no bombs, no guns, they died in the name of the USA, "the land of the free", just for believing that the island should also be free. No justice for them, along with the many killed under those 118 years who supported independence, but the USA still likes to say they are the land of the free and promote wars in the name of liberty while they have colonies (not only PR), have killed many that fought for freedom and still has imprisoned a Puertorrican political prisoner since 1981 (Oscar López Rivera). Freedom is not a word, is an ideal that we all need to support, for the USA, for the people living there, and for everyone in their respective countries. It is an Utopian statement, I know, but one to live by. "The land of the free" needs to be more than a slogan.

Shadows of Doubt

Shadows of Doubt
(a short story)

She told him she was there. It was hard to believe. She had sent me a previous message. She said she was on her way. She knew where I was. Stupid Twitter. I vented out waiting in the hall while someone snorted coke and #thefuckingplace. And she knew then. She convinced her friends.

This wasn’t new. There was a flirting going on and it was going on for a while. All on the screen. Now she was here. Flesh and bone. So I was nervous. I dreamt of actually meeting with her. But she was married, had a kid. I didn’t care that much, I was under…some sort of spell? I wanted her, wanted to be with her. And so did she, so here she was, flesh and bone, both listening to the whispers of lust. Everything was valid. Every excuse to write before, any excuse to go beyond. Just this night. Just tonight.

She was here. It was my chance. I was scared, I was nervous; I wasn’t expecting the night to turn out this way, to show me her face for real. I went there just to hang out with some friends. But now that she was there I had to see her. She send me a message. She saw me. She asked if I got the blue shirt. I replied. Yes. My friends started to ask why I was texting and why I suddenly got that naughty smile. There’s…a business I need to take care of…that’s what I said, I think. Stupid, I know, but I had nothing better to explain without giving any details. And hell no, I was not giving any details! This was mine! My story!

So I went inside the bar and met with her. Face to face. No Facebook, no Twitter, no texts. Flesh and bone. And…after some words, I told her I should leave, the train was coming. And odd excuse I know, but I knew I had to leave. She teased. I told her she was a bad, bad girl, but she just laughed. She said she wasn’t supposed to be there but that she did make the first step. I know, I said, and then I ran. I didn’t want to. I wanted to stay there and be bad with her, but the shadows of doubts danced with me a little. Is she just a big tease? I think she is. So I doubted her words….

Without words everything turns cold. But doubt remains… and bone turns to ashes in the air, a whisper of what never was. I know, right? Stupid.