STRANGER IN HAVANA

At intermission, Cubby walked toward their table with wobbly steps, and a bright Hollywood smile. He signaled the waiter for more drinks and extended his hand to Taylor and Winslow.

"God, you look just like your Mother. Absolutely amazing, except that she was beautiful. I see nothing of your father, you're taller, bigger."

"The resemblance to your mother is uncanny, even some of your mannerisms. I'm not implying you're gay, of course." Cubby laughed self-consciously.

"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Carter."

"Please, call me Cubby."

He patted Taylor's back affectionately and then, still smiling turned his attention to Winslow.

"Good to have you back again, Winslow, you're getting to be a regular here at the Karachi Club. A sign of good taste."

They all laughed at his joke, and he turned his attention back to Taylor.

"I hope you like the show." He looked up at the waiter.

"Enrique, bring my friend a couple of special Mojitos. They are the best in Cuba, the best in the world, actually. The recipe was given to me personally by Batista, the night he departed," Cubby giggled.

"Don't tell anybody. They might consider it government property and confiscate it."

"You do not recall, I am sure, but I knew you when you were a little boy. I took you to the zoo once, when your father was in the mountains. You cried in the monkey house, so I gave you all the peanuts we had bought for the monkeys and you stopped crying, ate all the God Damn peanuts. You didn't give the monkeys, one!"

They laughed again and Taylor thought that it wasn't only sex that had made the Karachi Club popular. He felt immediately drawn to Cubby; his candor and breezy attitude charmed him and probably everyone else. More than that, their shared history made him feel that he had known him for years, as if he were an old uncle, who had returned from a forty year journey and in a way it was true.

"You remember that, Cubby?" Taylor asked, astounded.

The name sounded natural to him. A comfortable name of affection that he might have been using for years.

"Will you tell us about Cuba during the revolution --.and about my father."

"Yes, yes, I remember a lot, but have forgotten more. You know what Ingrid Bergman said? I knew her in the old days. She was wonderful. I fell in love with her at first sight. She said 'happiness is good health and a bad memory,'

Yes, I remember her saying that right here in Havana. At the Floridita. We were with Hemingway and Errol Flynn that night."

Cubby stared into his drink, as if trying to remember more. They studied Cubby intently, as they waited for him to speak. After a long pause, he answered,  "Well, it was a wonderful time, a time when everyone wanted to buy you a drink."