My interpreter, José tells lots of stories about life in Cuba, sometimes moving to the edge of laughter and tears at the same time. Last week, pointing out a cannabalised trash can, he said, ”Ask anybody in Havana who takes their garbage to the curb about the enterprising spirit, here.”
It seems the sturdy metal wheels of the country’s large plastic trash cans had been going missing, one and two at a time. After a little while, they starting reappearing on all manner of things like toys, tricycles and delivery carts. The system was silent about this. After all, everybody knows the economy would collapse if the black market suddenly disappeared.
But when the wheels started showing up in schools around the country, the government got involved. Many of the small trucks that transport school lunches from the central kitchens often a mile or two away, are breaking down and staying down. Into the vacuum appears sturdy handcarts sporting “the” wheels.
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