The opportunist
By
Virgilio Pagliery Read Spanish Version
On
the immaculate rug, a book with green cover. In this case, green is
not the color of hope; it is the color of immaturity. According to my
grandmother, green had other connotations. It was the color of
elderly gentlemen — the spry old-timers — who chased young women.
But let’s leave well enough alone; let’s forget about the color. The
title: "My Moves."
Many
might think that it’s a work about the dance or some sport. But it is
not specifically about physical movements, though some are mentioned.
These are mental, strategically mental moves. They are the memoirs of
an individual who has recorded the most unbelievable stories about
dodges, feints, lies and politicking, cheap and unwholesome. Surely
Machiavelli would die of envy and might want to change the title of
his own, well-known book, "The
Prince," to
"The
Little Sergeant."
The
concept of opportunism that is attributed to The Little Sergeant is
sometimes malicious. The man likes change, the "moves" —
as the title of his book implies — and that, after all, is not all
that bad. He doesn’t come out looking morally good, but in these
times, who really cares about moral? He can be accused of not having
A moral. All right, but it would be unfair to say that he has no
moral. He has two — in other words, a double standard. I never
understood that concept very well. If someone who has moral is a
respectable gentleman, shouldn’t he be a lot more respectable if he
had two morals?
The
Little Sergeant believes in "change," particularly in his
personality. He believes that nothing is static, that everything
transforms itself (like he does) depending on how the wind blows. One
day, a Democrat; next day, Republican. If day changes into night, why
can’t a person change? From that point of view, you’d only have to
wait until he definitely changes into the Green Party. Not the
ecological party but the party of dollars, his true political party.
We would then say that he is traveling "down the middle of the
road."
In
that metamorphosis, The Little Sergeant went from liberal to
neoconservative. But don’t be alarmed. If circumstances press him, he
will go back to liberal. It’s only a matter of time. Some say that
he’s covertly trying to contact Obama to see if he can’t get some
"little post." It is said he is very good at making Cuban
coffee.
The
changes or moves are not only on the political plane but in every
stage of his life. This man is astounding. I so admire him that I’m
happy my tax money goes to any of his projects, including Radio and
TV Martí — "the station nobody sees," according to
those who live on the island. But it doesn’t matter that the programs
are not seen down there; the objective is achieved: the station doles
out jobs and pays well! And that’s great, considering the
unemployment figures.
The
Little Sergeant is happy with his new plasma TV; he won’t have the
problem others will have when the digital signal comes out. He’s
happy not only because he can tune in to TV Martí but also
because he has managed to place one of his friends on the station’s
staff.
I
don’t want to be a gossip or be erroneously described as someone who
speaks with a "forked tongue," but a lot of rumors are
spreading. Many rumorsss. And they deal with The Little Sergeant’s
"moves" — hmmm — outside his home, of course. Don’t ask
me to describe those "moves" because I won’t do it. These
pages don’t have parental-guidance ratings, so forget about the
obscenities. If you want the news, try to tune in to TV Martí.
That’s where you’ll find "the good news." If you don’t
believe me, ask The Little Sergeant. (see gallery)
