My Experience on a Cuban Bus
Move over, folks,
take a step back,
be kind and offer your seat
to old Caridad.
Rosa Martinez
HAVANA TIMES — The above lyrics are the chorus of La Guagua (“The Bus”), a song by the great Celia Cruz that Candido Fabre popularized when he was still a member of the Original de Manzanillo band.
The song alludes to the public transportation difficulties faced by Cubans, one of the problems that the socialist government has regrettably been unable to overcome, to say nothing of the impact that the US blockade has had on this important sector.
It is not my intention to debate whether the irregularities of local, inter-municipal or inter-provincial transportation are to be blamed on the blockade imposed on the island, which makes it more difficult to secure spare pieces and to purchase new equipment, or whether it is the fault of sector officials who lack foresight and are inept administrators. What I want to share with you today is what happened to me yesterday because of our blessed transportation system.
Getting anywhere on time is one of the main challenges faced by all Cubans, particularly women who, in addition to having to look after their children and families, must meet their work and social commitments.
Recently, while trying to get to a morning appointment on time, I found myself being shoved around and squeezed by people in an overcrowded bus. Two men, one to my right and the other to my left, suddenly sandwiched me.
My first instinct was to clutch my purse tightly, for, even though I was barely carrying any cash, I was worried about my debit card and other important documents that cost money and take time to get re-issued.
In my efforts to keep my purse safe, I had neglected another precious item: my derriere (ass). It’s not that it’s very big or shapely, or remarkable in any way, but this, my ass, was the only thing my fellow passengers seemed to be interested in.
The bus finally started again after idling for several minutes as the passengers got on, and then, everyone – my bodyguards included – started moving and shifting back and forth.
As I didn’t like the direction that situation was heading one bit, I tried to turn around, but couldn’t.
“Please, you’re stepping on me,” I said to the man to my right.
“I can’t breathe,” I said to the one to my left.
Running into a maniac is a problem, but having two at either side was truly grandiose, I said to myself as the anger began to gnaw at me from within, not knowing what I could do to get rid of the two, who would press against me more and more. “Are they a duo or what?” I asked myself.
After shoving them some, complaining and looking at the two angrily, I saw no other alternative but to resort to violence.
I was of course aware of the fact that the two gentlemen, big and strong, could kill me, but feeling one is in the right gives one courage, and my honor was at stake.
“Creeps, perverts, scroungers,” I was thinking this and more when, wham, I hit one of them in the stomach and, wham, kicked the other. I don’t know if they were as strong as I thought, but the two cheeky devils got off the bus without saying a word.
Such smiles can easily be interpreted as an invitation. So maybe his gaydar suggested it would be welcome.
What? Which part of my comment represents “hate” and which part is “revengeful”. My comments are ‘read’ by the way, not listened to. I like the “Holy” part.
Everyone is stupid for not agreeing with Holy Moses! He drinks from the ‘Grail’ at the Versaille, so we of course must listen to his hate and revengeful dialogue.
Well, I have to say that when I travel from Guanabo to Havana, my favourite means of travel is the 400 Bus! Now, I know I don’t do it every day, but it is one more way of being in touch with Cubans and understanding/figuring out how life is for them.
One day, I glanced across the bus and another man smiled at me. I smiled back and didn’t give him a second thought until I could see that he was leaving the bus. As he passed me by, he smiled and grabbed my crotch! That was a first for me!
Isn’t that the truth!
I guess the reasoning of Rosa looks a bit like this:
“1) The US embargo is one of the causes of the economic problems in Cuba.
2) Cuba’s economic problems are one of the causes of lack of buses.
3) The lack of buses is one of the causes of overcrowding in public transport.
4) Overcrowding in public transport is one of the causes of harassment by evil men.
5) Then the US embargo is one of the causes of what happened to me on the bus. Q.E.D.”
But in fact this type of incident occurs in public transport in all major world cities at rush hour.
Mis-informed Cubans have been raised to believe that every societal ill is somehow to be blamed on the embargo. The AA subway line in New York City is a battleground and there is no embargo to blame there. Rosa’s comment blaming the embargo for problems with Havana’s public transportation system is stupid. Cuba buys Yutong buses from China. If they break down, what does that have to do with the US? As far as the perverts on the bus, that’s life in the big city.
What’s your point?
Unfortunately I must say that this situation does not occur only in Cuba. But in all countries where there are bus (or subway cars) packed with passengers. Tokyo, in Japan, is famous for this kind of incidents.
You are courageous Rosa… But I wonder what are the psychological consequences for girls of 12, 13 or 14 who have the same experience as you but who do not have the ability to defend themselves as you did. I wonder what will be their perception of men and what will be the impact of such events on the development of their sexuality.
Oh yes, the presence of two sexually aggressive males is obviously the fault of the Yanqui Blockade. They were probably CIA agents, attempting to plant a microphone on your ass.