And They Used to Throw Eggs…

By Jorge Milanes

HAVANA TIMES – I went to the market today to pick up a packet of cigarettes and I could see the huge number of people lining up to buy eggs with their ration booklet.

The extreme economic situation, which is leaving us without food options, making people turn to the last opportunity they have to buy them at an affordable price, even if it’s just once a month. There aren’t any eggs available outside of the rationing system.

This crowd of people for eggs reminded me of the early ‘70s when many of the so-called “worms” (people leaving the country) were given a farewell with eggs being thrown at them by the “revolutionaries” in the neighborhood. Something which my late father was 100% against, even though he was a revolutionary. He used to tell us that every person should live where they wanted.

“I don’t want to find out that any of you in this house have thrown a single egg at anyone!”. He was referring to neighbors who decided to go and live in the US at that time, via Parole Programs, and people coming together in the neighborhood to give them a farewell with rallies throwing eggs at them and even with police present.

Years later, I watched how many of these “revolutionaries” went on to go and live in the United States.

I wonder: what would they think today about this old practice?

To tell you the truth, the sheer number of eggs that were thrown are needed today to give a scornful farewell to those responsible for the incompetence of national egg production.

If anyone wants to make sure they have an egg or two for breakfast, they must rear hens at home, but not without first making sure they have milk and coffee, products which are also hard to come by today. Products which I will need to keep in mind for another article.