memorias del guajiro

I saw an old man who looked a little like el guajiro, an old Cuban man I knew in Miami. His real name is Rolando, but everybody calls him guajiro. We met on the casino boat . . . He was playing blackjack on my table, gnawing on his ever-present cigar and losing every hand. He got more and more agitated and, not knowing I speak Spanish, started calling me, "¡vampira, piraña!" The look on his face when I answered, "¡soy gringa pero no soy piraña!" was priceless - total shock. Everybody at the table cracked up. After that I was his favorite dealer. Several years later he gave me a nice Ghiradelli chocolate gift basket for Christmas. He used to talk about taking me to Cuba "cuando caiga Fidel." Hopefully it will happen soon so he can go home and enjoy his country.