Geneva man doesn't look back fondly on his years in Cuba
Hollywood can hit home and strike nerves at the same time.
Not too many folks in Geneva would be troubled by a movie ad in the newspapers featuring actor Benecio del Toro in his portrayal of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara.
But 77-year-old Emilio Marcos, who moved to Geneva from Dallas a year ago to be closer to his children in the area, has strong feelings about Guevara.
Marcos left a successful law business in his homeland of Cuba in 1960, after enduring two years of Communist reign under Fidel Castro and Guevara.
"It is peculiar that some people of wealth worship this individual, like the kooks in Hollywood," Marcos wrote in a letter to the Daily Herald.
I stopped by the Marcos home last week to get a better understanding of his views on Cuba past and present.
"Cuba was a rich country, and one of the United States' best customer and friend in the world," Marcos said of his homeland in the 1950s. "We had everything - fish, cattle, tobacco, oil.
"And then these two characters came along and destroyed Cuba," Marcos says. "Now it is not even a Third World country, it is Fourth World and the misery of the people there is terrible."
The popular portrait of Che strikes a nerve with Marcos, who saw the Cuban leader a few times because Che's secretary was a friend of Marcos' in law school.
Many Cubans were witnesses to the horror that Guevara brought upon the island in executing so many "enemies of the state," Marcos said.
"I was an attorney in Cuba from 1954 to 1958, but I wasn't allowed to do business after the revolution that ousted the Batista government," Marcos said.
Because his wife was a secretary in the Canadian embassy in Cuba, he was able to get out of the country before it was too late.
"You had to disappear from your family for a while to make it safe to leave," Marcos said. "No one trusted anyone, so it was very difficult."
Marcos believes Hollywood somehow idolizes Che because most Americans are not aware of what goes on in other countries.
The example of Cuba's demise should alert Americans "to not take this great country of ours" for granted, Marcos said.
Inexpensive night out: My wife and I have favorite walking routes, and I have another to share with readers. This one qualifies as an inexpensive Saturday night out - with or without children or pets.
Park your car near the St. Charles police station and walk along the river and into Pottawatomie Park. There's a chance a play will be staged at the youth outdoor theater, and that's fun to stop and watch for a few minutes - or make an evening of it with lawn chairs. Otherwise, keep walking along Second Avenue back through downtown St. Charles and to your car.
If you want to continue, drive down to Geneva's Third Street for another short walk and maybe some ice cream at Graham's.
If you still have energy, get back in the car and head south to Batavia and relax at the Riverwalk.
On a nice evening, this is just a terrific way to visit some of the best each city has to offer.
Support tumor research: Friends of the late Paul "Dinx" Hansen have organized a golf outing and "19th hole" revelry Aug. 2 to raise money for the American Brain Tumor Association.
It's going on three years since "Dinx," a fixture on many area golf courses, died from a brain tumor. I still find it hard to believe this jolly friend of mine is in golf heaven, rather than being with his wife and son, or playing in the St. Charles City Tournament, or cheering on the Cubs this summer.
But his death leaves us with a cause to support, so anyone interested in a good time and worthy cause can contact Patti Masters at (630) 377-3259 for details and to sign up this week.
Golf is at noon at Bartlett Hills, the post-outing party is at Dunham Woods Riding Club in Wayne.
Some historic guitar: Here's a last-minute idea for something to do tonight. A free concert sponsored by the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission will be held at 7 p.m. at the RiverPark amphitheater in downtown Geneva, featuring Casey Nielsen on acoustic guitar.
Nielsen, a Geneva High and Northern Illinois University grad, will play guitar pieces from various musical periods, dating back to Renaissance. So this will be a nice spot for a picnic and music.
If it rains, organizers intend to move the concert to First Congregational Church of Geneva at Fourth and Hamilton streets.
dheun@sbcglobal.net