Home truths of zealous Cuban writer

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuban writer Tomas Alvarez, worried about the loss of idiomatic expressions in the Spanish language, is preserving them by covering the outside of his home with sayings and famous quotes.


Over the last 20 years, the retired journalist has collected 4,000 sayings and written them on ceramic tablets that he stuck to the bricks of the four walls of his house in eastern Sancti Spiritus.


"These sayings were created by the people. They flow from the entrails of the Earth," said the 86-year-old. "I did this for people to think, laugh, philosophise and know great writers such as Shakespeare and Cervantes," he said.


Every weekend, the founding member of Cuba's ruling Communist Party gathers neighbours on his veranda to recall more sayings for the collection.


Among those immortalised on the bricks are: "He who kills cats, raises mice;" "Strong ox, abundant bread;" "Women and wine make a man lose his head," and "When the emperor errs, the peasant trembles."


Alvarez has covered every brick with sayings, and is now plastering them onto the pillars of his veranda.


Space is getting so short that he plans to build an outhouse.