I like the bookish ones

Roberto took me out into New York City today, for a date, of sorts. We took the ferry past New Jersey, and the Statue of Liberty, on topaz water. He doesn't talk much, but he speaks Italian as his first language. The stress was lightened because his cousin was there: a goofy fella in a gabardine suit and a huge camera used to photograph every angle in the city. While Serafino, the cousin, aimlessly aimed to the sky with his Minolta Roberto told me about himself.

He's a PhD student in Italy, doing research here at Columbia University in the field of Engineering. In Italy he instructs undergrads. In New York he lives on a stipend in the Upper Westside.

He returns to Italy in November, and perhaps when the PhD is complete he will become a permanent US resident.

Mama said make sure he's not looking for a greencard.

We lunched in Little Italy -- my first time. Unlike American boys he didn't disclose a ton of personal information, and he didn't say anything cheesy-flattering to try and bed me. To his credit, he is 29... not quite a boy, right? I'm not going to marry him, but I felt relaxed. Granted, I'll feel more relaxed once I'm back in Cleveland with my friends, but today was nice.

Thanks for reading.