Last Monday, the Miami mayor\u2019s office decided to reopen it in an act that sounded something like a starting shot at an Olympiad with hundreds of people in attendance. All smiling, happy and rejuvenated. Some as if they were there for the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n It was a starting shot because that ceremony led to the reopening of the establishments of many restaurants, bars, record stores and souvenir shops, the odd art gallery, barber shop or the only \u201ctypical\u201d Cuban grocery store that, curiously, has a transparent plastic bag hanging at the entrance with a sign that says \u201cto sell\u201d two invisible little fish from the North Pole.<\/span><\/p>\n The reopening of the Domino Park, less known by its official name of M\u00e1ximo G\u00f3mez Park, normally receives dozens of players a day. Most are faithful to the place on a daily basis since the last century, when the city opened it in 1976 at a cost of $116,000.<\/span><\/p>\n Atilio G\u00f3mez, 67, arrived in Miami around that time and a cousin took him to see the park. Since then he doesn\u2019t want anything else. Decades later he proudly says that he met all of his \u201creal\u201d friends in the park. \u201cWe\u2019ve spent many hours together and we talk about everything. Besides, women never come and we feel better that way,\u201d he explains with a jocular look on his face.<\/span><\/p>\n When he found out that the park was going to reopen, Atilio did not hesitate: he canceled a lunch at his daughter\u2019s house and went there. The hubbub he created upon meeting the buddies again is difficult to describe. Hugs, effusive of course, questions about what everyone did this year and questions about vaccination. He felt better when he learned that everyone is vaccinated. He was glad that no acquaintances died from the coronavirus and, very importantly, reminded everyone who was winning in the improvised domino championship they were playing before closing. It was him. Those championships are not about money, the park rules impose it but, he admits, they put something on the table as an incentive: some discreet beans that each equal a beer.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/DSC_4740_Easy-Resize.com_-1.jpg\")
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