A few momemts later on a senior black colored woman wearing a purple scarf over light locks emerged regarding second-floor window. She looked perplexed but recognized Willy. “ Hola. Hola. ” She allowed you upstairs.
Their particular label try Gladis Castaneda, and you will she was a professional ancient pianist for the Havana during the brand new 1950s. She are a little woman inside her 80s or 90s. She nodded when he stated Los angeles Reina. Sure, she said, however stayed in that it area, proper next door. Right here, about skin, was someone who understood the new legendary Superman-facts, in fact, your guy in fact resided.
Superman, Castaneda said, are significant, solid, recognized. “Everyone know your given that Queen,” she said. “He had been gay, but you don’t wreck havoc on your.” She asked us to remain. “He had been the height. However, strong. Muscle.” He had body such as for instance hers: dark, not extremely. “He was an effective people. No body had a problem with him.” I asked in the event that everyone in the community knew exactly what the guy performed to own a living. “Child, it actually was years ago. He remaining many years ago.”
Willy asked when the she realized exactly what turned regarding him, and you can she told you she believes the guy passed away when you look at the Miami. Their particular times is actually waning, and you will Willy nodded to me to indicate the time had come we go.
Upon the road, we found a vintage guy tilting up against the wall surface. His term is actually Elado. The guy transmitted a good cane and you may used a free eco-friendly jacket with a great Masonic symbol hanging out-of a string as much as their shoulder. Willy advised your we had been finding information regarding the guy it named La Reina.
“ Si, si, ” the old people told you. “Los angeles Reina-everyone realized him. Mulatto. Regarding your top,” the guy nodded during my recommendations. “Every person respected him. The guy stayed right here to possess two decades. Of course, every person knew what he did to possess a full time income.” He said Superman remaining on You.S. inside the 1959. “No-one know his name. Everybody merely entitled him Los angeles Reina.”
We joined her roomy flat, and Willy explained what we should had been starting
Down the street because of the chapel, roosters crowed. An effective girl sporting Rollerblades spoke towards the a wages mobile. A classic guy when you look at the a fabric tennis cap smoked a good cigar for the an effective backless wood couch.
His tresses are white and you may insane
We walked using Los Sitios towards the Barrio Chino up until we showed up within 507 Marquis Roadway. We stood in the street studying the entry to help you good martial-arts university: Escuela Cubana de- Wushu. They had a yellow and you will red act that have a gold foo puppy and a red metal door.
The doorway are discover. During the front side entrance is actually a courtyard which have a little restaurant and several stationary exercise equipment. The new theater after endured where school’s backyard courtyard is starting to become. We attempted to consider in which the phase has been. New dressing up place where Superman ready to accept the fresh new tell you. This new balcony where drunken travelers spotted this new efficiency.
A few days afterwards i gone back to Barrio de los Sitios so you can material for other individuals whom may have identified Superman. In the apartment strengthening next to Gladis Castaneda’s, we met Superman’s real neighbor: an old pizza pie cook called Roberto Cabarero, 82 yrs old, that have a seriously tarnished and you can lengthened muscles shirt, sagging brown pants to your fly open, and black colored socks that have holes regarding foot. His facial skin sagged eg a-sea turtle’s.
Cabarero’s apartment, in which he stayed along with his wife, are lightweight and you can ramshackle, plagued by rubbish. Their partner seated in the center of the little home, rocking backwards and forwards inside the a wood sofa, speaking loudly at nobody particularly. A wireless blared tinny old Language music, and you will your dog came in and you will outside of the area to help you eat crumbs off the flooring. A security clock sounded through the duration of all of our meeting. No one troubled to turn it well.