A Planet for Rent

Acknowledgments

This book is indebted to many people. Some, because their lives served as its inspirations and raw material. Others, because their works or comments did the same. Though making their names public will not cancel out the debt owed them, I think it may help… a little.

To Yanet from San Miguel del Padrón and her two sisters. To Mayelín, Elda’s former sister-in-law. And to the other “social workers” of L Street between 23rd and 25th.

To the Arte Calle group. To Cuenca and the other artists of the ‘80s who left to live from their performance art under other skies.

To the Cuban volleyball teams, male and female. To Duke Hernández, Roberto Urrutia, and other members of “the champions.”

To my friends Adolfo and Ariel, ex-policemen, for explaining the rules of the game to me.

To the Biology majors of the Class 1991 (including me) who ended up in Aquaculture, Fishing Bureaus, and Spawning Stations. To those who stayed in the field of science. To those who left for some conference and never came back. To those who are driving old taxis or selling pizzas. To all the Cuban scientists who ever had to pass aptitude and attitude assessment tests.

To my friend Vlado, who rowed into the Escape Tunnel but returned to tell me the tale. To all the makeshift sailors of the summer of ‘94. Especially to those who never made it.

To Danilo Manera, foreigner, Italian, for trying to understand us. For becoming another victim of the disease called Cubanitis. And most of all, for giving me the platinum card of his friendship.

To Cuba and to all its people, because we still do believe in the future in spite of it all, because we have faith in ourselves.

To Domingo Santos, because his collection of short stories, Futuro imperfecto, gave me the idea for this book, years ago.

To Frederik Pohl, because his story “The Day the Icicle Works Closed” made me think of what a nightmare Body Spares would be.

To Plinio Apuleyo Mendoza, Carlos Alberto Montaner, and Alvaro Vargas Llosa, because it was thanks to their polemic in Guide to the Perfect Latin American Idiot that I decided to read Open Veins of Latin America to find out if they were right and it was so awful.

To Eduardo Galeano, for Open Veins of Latin America. Which turned out to be just the opposite.

To Roberto Urías, for his story “Infórmese, por favor,” to which “Aptitude Assessment” is an explicit tribute.

To Ronaldo Menéndez, because his story “Otro Lado” gave me the original idea for “Escape Tunnel,” and his story “Una ciudad, un pájaro, una guagua” was the inspiration for “Platinum Card.” And also for being, aside from all difference in theories and aesthetics, a terrific storyteller and a friend.

To Eduardo Heras León, “El Chino,” because his reading of “Performing Death” convinced me that science fiction could attract non-fans if it was well written and had something to say. Because his spirit was what turned this book from a project to a reality.

To Carlos, for his punctual and unsparing criticism. To Fabricio, for his measured, almost pedantic attitude as a connoisseur and friend. To Vlado for his wild enthusiasm and the liberties he took with my original. To Michel (Umbro), to Guillermo, to Ariel, to Roberto Estrada, to all the fans of science fiction who read my work and believed in me.

To Sandra, who read “Social Worker” and told me she’d had it up to here with jineteras and didn’t want to keep reading. I hope she’ll change her mind… some day.

To Yailín, who thought “Performing Death” was a horrible story and refused to illustrate it. For having the courage to express her opinion even though many of her friends disagreed with her.

To Milana, in the distance, for many things that cannot fit in a list of acknowledgments. Just because.