My father died two years ago.  My mother is now living with my sister.  Nevertheless, there is something eerie about January 1 for Cubans.  My brother, sister, and I would always find a minute to hear another story of that fateful January 1, 1959, when our lives were turned upside-down.  We didn't dwell in the past, but memories of that day would come up with anecdotes or just simple family stories. The events of that day are not as depicted in The Godfather II.  People did not rush to their boats.  You didn't have suicide bombers among the anti-Batista rebels.  Most Cubans spent the early hours on the phone or following the news on radio and TV.  My specific memory is watching my father on the phone and my mom listening to his conversations amid the breakfast she was feeding us. Cuba became an independent country in 1902.  You can divide the island's history into two periods: the pre-Castro years and the...(Read Full Post)