Operation Peter Pan

Operation Peter Pan spanned from 1960-62 whereby over 14,000 children were sent away from their families in Cuba, some never to reunite again. Usually the parents were opposed to the Cuban revolution but for some reasons could not leave themselves. The Catholic Church and the U.S. State Department assisted in the operation. Pan Am flights took the children to Miami, FL, referred to as "Never-Never Land," and the children became known as the "Peter Pans."

Singer Tori Amos wrote a song about the incident, by the same name/title, which was available as a B-side to the limited edition release of her single "A Sorta Fairytale." In it she expounds on the tragedy of the situation by using metaphor from the real story of Peter Pan. The line "Second to the right, straight on 'til morning" comes directly from that fairy tale; these are the directions on how to get to "Never Never Land."

The lyrics are:

hola, rojo, 'morning to you

you always helped me chase demons away

don't know what i'll do without you

so Pan is the name of the plane

second to the right

straight on 'til morning

that's where i'll be waiting

second to the right

straight on 'til morning

hola, tick-tock

my time is up

Pedro says

i will forget him in days

in my new life, no room for a lost boy

boys can be so dumb sometimes

second to the right

straight on 'til morning

that's where i'll be waiting

second to the right

straight on 'til morning

kiss Pedro for me