Santiago de Cuba cradled in her womb unique characters; some better known than others, but all marked by singularities, that they did or do remember with pleasure for generations.
Some have not been distinguished for being wealthy or hold an alleged peerage, as the habanero Caballero de Paris; to be an athlete or famous artist, but the curious thing about his work, habit or flashy, hard habit to imitate.
In my experience of decades in this city, I remember many of them, sometimes with curious nostalgia. So you can have relationship with my profession, it comes to my mind one, perhaps not the best known, but it was heard with some admiration.
A few years ago, man, mestizo, of medium height and rather thin, dressed modestly, down early in the morning by the central street of Pio Rosado, toward the Paseo Martí, repeating fragments of speeches. As I was brisk, sometimes you could not grasp what he was saying: only perceived emphasis with which he did.
At that Paseo, located in the lower northern Santiago, he headed to the cafeteria was in Marti and Calvary, where a cup of coffee, stimulating at that hour of the morning, taking in the sun yet It made an appearance.
After tasting the call then, "black nectar of the white gods" out to the curb and load again. Left beside what he had in hand, almost always a jaba containing newspapers, without looking at anyone, his voice rising with strength who believes in what he is saying.
For example, repeating the words of Fidel Castro, in his speech to the twentieth anniversary of the attack on the Moncada barracks, the July 26, 1973:
"Martí taught us his ardent patriotism, his passionate love for freedom, dignity and decency of man, his repudiation of despotism and unlimited faith in the people. In his revolutionary preaching was the moral foundation and the historical legitimacy of our armed action. Therefore we said he was the mastermind behind the 26 of July. "
At this point, several people around him, including amazed and surprised, listening. No one knew his name, so I came to call the Speaker Mañanero. The scene is repeated every day, standing there on the corner, repeating fragments of speeches by Fidel.
And I wondered how he could remember long paragraphs of political speeches; what genes or mental exercises had given him such a memory to repeat without error, because I did not look professional or student.
Overcome by curiosity, one day at the end of his tirade, I approached and asked him how he could do that, and why was inspired by speeches of Fidel. The Speaker replied with a smile, and went on his way: "Comrades, in the history of Cuba ..."
For some time I have not seen; I do not know if still alive, I can say is that I would now like to talk to that man, to tell me that thing is capable of mobilizing the minds and hearts of people like him to do what he did, and continue with his speeches.