Thursday, September 24, 2009

Cuba: The Kid, The Kite and the UFO that Wasn't












Source: Agencia de Prensa Libre Avileña (APLA) and www.miscelaneasdecuba.net
Date : 04.13.2009


Cuba: The Kid, The Kite and the UFO that Wasn’t

Incredible but true. An eight-year-old boy caused police authorities in the town of Fallas, Municipality of Chambas, in the province of Ciego de Avila.

Ramon Hernandez or Ramoncito, as he is known by all, let loose the threads of his beloved kite in the early hours of the evening from the balcony of his humble apartment. He did this in all innocence; the kite had small lit bulbs running all round it – a feat of technology for towns in Cuba’s interior.

Frightened neighbors looked skyward and came up with a variety of exclamations: there was a UFO over Fallas! Gossips phoned the Police in the light of the alleged paranormal phenomenon.

Several jeeps from the service guard of the Enrique Varona (formerly Fallas) Sugar Mill and police cars from the adjacent municipality of Chambas created a commotion with their sirens as part of their ostentatious show of force, which included phone calls to the Army’s command posts in the province, alleging that the sighting could involve a U.S. spy satellite or airplane.

Ramoncito, oblivious to the noise and agitation in the neighborhood, and with the innocence of his age, calmly returned the illuminated kite to the balcony, much to the astonishment of the deployed forces and the meddlesome members of the Cederista guard, now the target of ridicule.

However, Ramon Hernandez’s parents must appear before the Provincial Delegation of MININT (Ministry of the Interior) along with the boy to elaborate on the details of the events that “jeopardized” the serenity of the citizens of the town of Fallas.

(Translation (c) 2009, S. Corrales, IHU. Special thanks to Dr. Virgilio Sanchez-Ocejo and Tico Morales)