Mission Libertad by Lizette M. Lantigua Read Free Book Online Page B

Sonia warned him.
    â€œOh, no, we must pay first,” she explained.
    â€œOh,” Luisito said feeling a little embarrassed as he carried the banana with him to the register. Bananas and oranges were the only fruits he recognized from the piles of many-colored fruits displayed in the produce section.
    Sonia picked a large can of shredded coconut. Luisito could not believe anyone could just pick one item from this huge supermarket. He would spend hours buying all sorts of things here.
    He only wished he had more time to look at all the items in the store, especially all the candy by the register, but the line moved so quickly he didn’t have a chance. He was so happy he couldn’t stop smiling. He noticed no one else seemed to smile as they waited in line. He wouldask his relatives to bring him back to this grocery some other day.
    While they waited in line, Sonia picked up a chocolate candy bar and a glossy magazine. Luisito flipped through the pages filled with pictures of boys and some pretty girls who were all unknown to him. Sonia smiled and said something to the boy who was putting the items in the bag. Then she waved back at him with her free hand. He had his hair parted in the middle and layered to the side. Luisito looked at the magazine and back at the boy at the cash register. He looked just like some of the guys in the magazine! As Sonia walked out, the boy at the register glanced at her shoes and made some comment. She laughed and moved her shoe back and forth so he could see them better. The bottoms of her shoes were
see-through
plastic. The boy flashed a peace sign with two fingers in a V, and she did the same back to him. What a strange greeting, Luisito thought.
    Sonia took the candy bar she had just purchased from the grocery bag and handed it to Luisito.
    â€œYou don’t need to show the booklet?” Luisito asked Sonia. He was referring to the ration booklet all Cubans have to show back on the island. The booklet gives families permission to buy certain items monthly or yearly.
    â€œWhat booklet?” laughed Sonia.
    â€œNothing,” he said, smiling.
    Luisito wished he could call Abuela right now and tell her what he had seen and how right she had been. What seemed to be fairy tales were now becoming believable to Luisito. He had a feeling he was going to like this country very much!
    When Sonia, Tommy, and Luisito arrived at the movie theater, Sonia groaned.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” Luisito said.
    â€œLook at the line!” she said.
    Luisito saw a few people in line to buy tickets, and he could not understand what the fuss was all about. In Cuba, the lines to get bread went down the block.
    â€œOh, come on, that is nothing,” Luisito laughed. “Let’s get in line.
Perro
que
no
anda
no
encuentra
hueso.
”
    â€œA dog that does not go out does not find the bone. What in the world does that mean?” Tommy asked.
    â€œIt means you can’t succeed if you don’t try,” Luisito said, laughing. “I am going to have to write these down for you.”
    â€œYou bet,” Tommy teased. “I am going to have to carry them in my pocket like a tourist with a dictionary.”
    As his cousins bought tickets, Luisito looked at the marquee and the upcoming movie posters.
How
could
anyone
choose?
he thought.
    â€œNothing really good,” Sonia said, as she eyed the signs. Luisito laughed.
    â€œWhat?” Sonia said, grinning.
    They bought popcorn, chocolate candy, and some water. They walked into a cool, dark movie theater and sat eating until the movie began.
    There was not much need for translating. The hero in the movie didn’t talk very much. He did a lot of shooting and rescued some prisoners at the end, which caused the audience to cheer.
    As they walked out Luisito kept inhaling the wonderful popcorn smell.
    â€œPopcorn actually smells better than it tastes,” Luisito declared with a deep breath.
    â€œI’ve