June 12, 2010
Havana, Cuba
Elevation: 0KM
Humidity: Wet
In a corner in Parque Central is Esquina Caliente, the hot corner. Men sit around in the shade and debate with each other about baseball. I asked if they are only talking about Cuban baseball or if they debate about US major league as well. My friend said that they talk about both, as long as its baseball, they are interested in it.
After a little arm twisting, I convinced my friend to go up to one of the guys and ask them if they had a World Series prediction. He goes up to the crowd, very hesitant, doesn’t think this is amusing, slightly afraid to talk to these men. There are two verbose guys in the middle, rather friendly looking, eagerly giving their two cents about baseball (I could only assume). He is a little afraid of them so he goes around and talks to one of the guys on the outer edge (rather grumpy looking fellow too) and ask him for a World Series prediction. He come back and says that these men have “changed the channel” they are now on the World Cup instead.
Well, what is the prediction for the World Cup? Brazil and or Argentina.
(I don’t know much about either sport and can say that I care either. I wanted to see if these men had a prediction only because their obsession is a cultural phenomena. I really need to get beyond survival Spanish so that I can ask these random questions next time.)
Charlie Grosso
+1 310 592 0895
www.charliegrosso.com
