Top Dollar

Cuba's classic cars, American made. Secret plots...As you may know. CIA is very powerful. They can topple and install goverments...

Top Dollar                       {By Sami Khalil}

(Cuba’s classic cars, American made) Secret plots…

It was stranger than fiction. One by one, Cuba’s classic cars, American made, that were purchased during friendlier times, and before political tides made them pawns in the grudge between two nations, started disappearing from the island. Their numbers, which were in the upwards of 60.000 cars or more, dwindled to a handful, to be counted on fingers.

In a nutshell, these vintage cars dotted the streets of a city adorned with grand Spanish colonial buildings, turned into symbols of a bygone era and work horses for tourists that flocked the island (Taxis).

Underneath the hoods, the ingenuity of Cuba’s mechanics kept the cars maintained, running gleamingly underneath blue skies, making them look like a living museum to behold.

Of Cuba, it always held an eerie insight into the sentimental; of double entendre. It possessed a candour so refreshing to memories along an unsurpassed beauty, travailing time and place leisurely. Its quiet mornings often fade into the cascading sounds of cars, casting shadows across winding streets dotted with palms. Whoever basks into her afterglow of sunsets, engild pleasantness and charm to themselves.

Of cars, they added an immeasurable value to the island and livelihoods, too. With them vanishing little by little, it puzzled the communists. Lost without a trace, they vanished into thin air, becoming a fodder for prosaic gossip locally and internationally. Word spread that a renowned museum in Detroit, was paying upwards of 100, 000 for each car to be brought back to the States.

A mafia, made up of Cuban exiles, had hatched a clever plan. Pay the Cuban drivers’ handsome amounts of money to be taken apart as if in parts, send them by boats to Miami in the dark of night, reassemble those one by one, then proceed to make handsome profits by selling to the museum which showcased them to attendees of grand, ornate showrooms. Taxi drivers, with the money made, could retire and buy farms to live on and raise cattle. The island had become a case of shadowy, unscrupulous plots.

Panic set in on the island, driving the economy to the brink of collapse. Tourism stopped in its tracks. It sparked the outrage of the communists, piquing the interests of conspiracy theorists. It was theorized that the CIA has pulled off a masterful plan! Who knows…?

Reviews

[Robert Trakofler]

My stepmother bought a 1941 ford coupe I have had a few occasions to work on the simplicity of design and beauty of craftsmanship oozes from these great old cars! I have always wanted to see Cuba and witness this phenomena I have always heard stories about it nice story

[Sami Khalil]

Whoeee! I do agree beloved poet and friend. I would like to visit too and see the larger collection of antique cars frozen in history on one island. A treasure trove indeed. Thank you so much kind sir for the review and wonderful take on this story.

[MomzillaNC]

Well penned. Symbols of the communist socialism, turned capitalist symbols of wealth status.

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! You summed it up marvelously. Thank you so much Momzilla NC for this wonderful review and kind visit.

[MomzillaNC]

YVW 🌝

[Sami Khalil]

:::::))))))))))

[barleygirl]

This is an imaginative idea for a plot & I especially love how you take a moment, here & there, to dive into a poetic explanation of the Cuban culture, regarding these cars . . . not all action & suspense, as such stories often unfold with technical plots, not so much expanding on the romantic notions of a trend. I could picture how the Cubans, with their love of classic fancy ornate stuff, would fix up these cars handsomely! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! So true and well said. To those who understand what happened between the US and Cuba and how these cars became a symbol stuck in the livelihood and pschyche of the Cuban people and now they are desired by capitalists is something to study on countries relationships and self interests. People and cars are caught in the middle of 2 ideas that moves governments. Capitalism and socialism...Those cars were left as a freeze on capitalism to make way for socialism. But capitalism is very powerful idea and it will win eventually. Only greed and extreme abuse of the worker will topple capitalism. I just think on those things. Thank you talented poet and thinker.

[Lydia Shutter]

Ah a CIA plot or a plan to make money? Very interesting scenario here, Sami and I have a feeling the artwork might have inspired it. Yes, Cuba has many vintage American cars and the Cuban people charge money if tourists want to take photos of them. Of course, now American tourism has ceased there. Very well thought out story here. I enjoyed it. Lydi*

[Sami Khalil]

Whoa!!! Indeed Lydi. You are so right about Cuba and the inspiration. I got inspired by that and proceeded to write the story. I love antique cars if they are restored of course. Million thank yous for the visit and liking....

[poetgurl (Plainly Meg)]

I found this intriguing. I love old classic cars.
This is really good

[Sami Khalil]

Whoa! Many people are fascinated by cars especially classic ones. So glad you like them too. Thank you for all. .

[poetgurl (Plainly Meg)]

my very first car was a 1968 mustang, cherry red. It was awesome.

[Sami Khalil]

I can imagine. Wow.

[Mrudula Rani]

International embargos, the iron hands of dictators have created hardships for the people of that island, even then the ingenuity of the people to survive and sustain a turism industry just on vintage America car is entrancing. ( few years back my husband was visiting Cuba, on account of medical conference and brought back few stories, pictures about American vintage cars).

[Sami Khalil]

Hence my story and the fascination of the tourists and serious car collectors about them. They are atreasure indeed and makes Cuba feels like the Henry Ford museum in Detroit Michigan. Massive, ornate and packed with tourists that visit it. Gracie Millee.

[Sami Khalil]

Note: In this case, the power and cleverness of the CIA too had contributed to the collapse of the economy for they know if they can take away the work horse, all else can fall(fiction from my side but true in other cases). They can topple goverments and instal others like they did in Iran with the Shah and many other places in the world.

[Mrudula Rani]

The interference of CIA in the affairs of foreign countries always reeked havoc !

[Sami Khalil]

Gracie mille.....

[Sami Khalil]

"Of cars, they added an immeasurable value to the island and livelihoods, too. With them vanishing little by little, it puzzled the communists."