I've still got it (with creepers, midgets, and babies)!

This is the first post of what I'm sure will be many about the creepy Italians in my life. So today after I had lesson planned and laid around reading magazines, I decided to get up and explore the city some more. The main goal was to see if there was a bike rack by the building I teach in so I can ride my bike to school on Monday. After walking around LdM's campus, I decided to go to the duomo and partake in one of my favorite activities: people watching. I dedicate this story to Allie, my people watching partner-in-crime:
So I'm sitting on the steps of the duomo and had been listening to this skeezy Australian guy talk to this dumb American girl about how his brother wanted to get it on with her, and how he did too. After this couple left and I didn't have as much entertainment, I noticed there was a young Italian staring at me. He met all the criteria for boys that usually come talk to me (foreign, short, and younger than me). I just knew he was going to come over and talk to me, which he did, of course. His name was Franco, and he was 20. He asked me all about being from the states and what I was doing in Florence. I talked to him because a) I have no friends here yet b) because I needed to practice my Italian c) because he didn't seem too creepy. So Franco asks me to "fare una passegiatta" with him. As I tell my students every semester, I know from experience that you must be careful going on walks alone with Italian boys because most likely they are going to "take you to a dark place" and try to take advantage of you. I was so desperate for someone to talk to though that I went off on a 1.5 hour jaunt with this kid. He took me to all the romantic spots in the city and told me how beautiful I was, made me take off my sunglasses so he could look into my beautiful eyes, etc. As we were walking on the lungarno, he asked me if he could hold my hand. I told him no, since I have a boyfriend. Well Franco says that we can still hold hands because my boyfriend isn't here and I'll be hanging out with him for the next few months. I still did not hold his hand, but for some reason I continued my walk with him. We finally sat down on the steps of one of the gazillions of churches here and he asked me if he could take me out sometime and if he could come to my house. Again, I said," I have a boyfriend, I'd like to be friends with you, but that's it". I finally got away when I told him I needed to go home for a skype date, and he seemed so crushed. He gave me the double kiss and said he will call me sometime to hang out. I don't know if I will answer though.
Even though he was a typical creepy Italian, I still thank Franco for coming to talk to me. The more time I spend in Florence and the more Italians I talk to the better. Oh, and don't think I have been sitting at home super depressed. I treated myself to a day of pampering yesterday and took myself out to lunch, where I made friends with a bunch of Italian waiters who told me that I speak beautiful Italian and that after a year of being here I will speak better than them. Florence is definitely beginning to perk up for me!

A presto,
Kate