Lair Davis (Our Man in Costa Rica)

Mi Novio Bonito

I had a nice adventure today! I was sitting in the Parque Central reading the newspaper this morning (as I usually do), when a devastatingly handsome police officer passed by. I almost dropped my coffee, he was so beautiful.
 
Well, he walked down to the end of the sidewalk and turned around and walked back. I had pulled out my pocket dictionary by this time and was looking up “I love you — marry me and live with me forever” (well, not really!), and when he got back to where I was sitting, he stopped and flashed the most incredible smile and said, “Buenos dias.” I could hardly speak but managed to croak out something.
 
Well, we ended up talking for about two hours right there in the park. He is single, about 35. (Hmmmm — unusual not to be married in Costa Rica at that age!)
 
His first name is Lidier, and he still lives with his parents (which is not unusual. People tend to continue to live with their families until they get married, no matter what age they are. It isn’t just economic, it is their preference. This is a VERY family-oriented culture. Even most gay people here live with their families instead of in an apartment with roommates.)
 
He knows only a little English but quickly started helping me with my Spanish by talking very slowly (which is the only way I can understand what is being said to me). Before we were through talking, he made it clear that he wants to learn English very badly and would be glad to help me with my Spanish in exchange for me helping him to learn to pronounce English. He knows quite a bit actually and reads English fairly well, but he’s had little opportunity to practice talking — this is not a town that many foreigners visit. I read Spanish well, speak at a intermediate level and understanding only a little because people tend to talk very fast.
 
We’ve now made a date to meet tomorrow and talk some more. We’re going to have lunch together and work out a schedule of time when we can really work on this language stuff. I am so excited! Be still my beating heart!
 
And a man in uniform at that!

Now for a small dose of “reality” (not that the above did not happen, but it IS a bit “dreamy.”   ):

My first Social Security check magically appeared in my bank account yesterday, just as the Social Security Administration said it would. I gained new respect for the clock-like workings of the governmental
bureaucracy of the good ol’ U.S.A. with that!