only human

Lizette Chaparro '12

Chino was the handyman at our residence. He fixed our showers, replaced light bulbs, and picked up our rationed food whenever it was available. Chino also made it his duty to help all the students in the residence understand Cuba. A lot of "rt, it seemed, had to do with sex. He warned us about the marriage proposals from Cubans and told us that the catcalls were mostly compliments, but he also let us know where to go if we wanted to dance or see a good show.

One day, hurricane season began. From our fourteenth floor penthouse, we could see the ocean thrusting itself over the Malecon as the windows rattled. We were all amazed and looked at the scene from the window next to the balcony. Chino sat on his rocking chair, barely even amused by our excitement

Someone had the idea of stepping out onto the balcony. I vacillated because that day I had run out of underwear.The gusts of wind made it foolish to hang laundry on the balcony. And worst of all, I had also run out of pants. I was wearing an ankle-length, red skirt I figured the skirt's length would have been my saving grace, so I decided to step onto the balcony. I opened the glass door and held on tightly to my skirt.

One tiny part of my skirt fluttered in the wind and I held it down. The next second, my entire skirt came up and encased the upper half of my body until I looked like a tulip. I managed, in the wind, to bring it back down and left the balcony.

Everyone tried to hold back their reaction except Chino. Chino, who was frantically rocking in his chain put his hand over his chest. "I'm only human," he told me with laugher "You should feel my heartbeat, it's racing." I knew then not to get mad at Chino; to trust intentions; to smile and proceed to my room.

Months later, the windows would still be rattling, but with a cold December wind. Someone's parents would be visiting and the residence staff would put together a big dinner. The parents would bring gifts for everyone on the staff and Chinos gift would be a Pink

Floyd t-shirt. His excitement would be greater than anyone's I had ever seen in Cuba He would be as happy as American children are on

Christmas morning. I would watch him from across the room and feel tremendous emptiness.