Renewed U.S.- Cuban relations? I remember a body flying off the roof!

When President Obama opened the door for Cuba and the U.S. to start a new relationship it triggered some great memories for me. It was July of 1953, just a few months after my discharge after serving two years in Korea.

Mike Duvardo, a Sparta businessman, called me and the conversation went like this: "I just won a trip for two for selling a bunch of furniture and my wife doesn't want to go to Cuba with me...so how about you going with me--air and hotel all paid."

Heck, I just barely knew where Cuba was, but I had no plans so I just said YES...when do we leave?? Our flight was from St. Louis to Miami and Miami to Havana. We check in to the famous Havana Hilton and in the lobby was George Raft, the movie star, and Hemingway, who actually lived in Cuba. Before we unpacked our bags the flight crew of our plane invited us to join them for lunch at the famous Copa club (found out later it was run by the MOB. Batista had allowed the mob to take over all casinos and anything else they wanted for 20 percent of the action.)

As we were enjoying our meal the waitress tapped me on the shoulder and said, "The bartender would like to see you."

I glanced over my shoulder and he was waving me over so I got up and asked "ME?" He said, "I know you from somewhere." I said, "I just got here a few hours ago."

Before the conversation ended, seems he tended bar in Springfield, Ill. at the Orchid Lounge and I happened to visit while he was there (small world) but he was not the bartender and he confided to me that "Lucky" Luciano and Meyer Lansky both were in the back room. Went back to the group and back to the hotel and started to unpack. Found out later that "Lucky" was released from jail with the promise to return to Sicily, but he double-crossed the CIA and went to Cuba instead. Was getting ready to settle in and unpack when I heard what I thought was firecrackers. I stepped out on the balcony and just as I was enjoying the view a body came flying down from the roof and past the balcony.

Seems somebody shot the guy from the roof and glancing down to the street there were people shooting at each other. Castro had just launched his revolution against the Batista regime!

I rushed into my room, picked up my bag and knocked on Mike's door and yelled, "Get your bag; we're getting out of here."

We raced down the stairs, went to the hotel desk and they said, "There's no problem." I said, "There's a helluva problem. They shot your guy on the roof and there's a war going on out there."

We went outside to get a cab and they were all hiding in their seats. The first two cabs refused to drive us anywhere. I waved a $20 American bill and said "airporto." The cab driver nodded "yes" and away we went. It was the wildest cab drive of my life. Once at the airport, there was a plane loading up on the runway. In the airport I yelled "Two tickets to Miami!"

The girl said the next plane to Miami was tomorrow at 8 o'clock. I said, "Lady there is a revolution going on downtown. We can't wait. Where is that plane going?"

"Caracas, Venezuela," she replied.

"Two tickets to Caracas!" I yelled.

We flew to Caracas, stayed overnight and caught a plane to Miami.

I survived two years in Korea. I sure didn't want to die in a little civil war.

Batista left Cuba a few years later--and hundreds of millions of dollars richer! Castro ran the mob out of Cuba and yours truly is really in no hurry to please Obama about establishing OR visiting Cuba in the near future.