“The Upper East Side.” 

“Ah, really?” Frankie chuckled, surprised. “That’s where all the old money people are. Do you think you’ll try to marry into one of those well-connected families?” He winked, a wide smile spreading teasing his lips. “That’s what Sam’s trying to do, actually. Going to law school with those rich cats and seeing if he can marry one of those fine ladies.”

Annibale gave a smile. "I'm not sure. If anyone catches my eye, perhaps. But it's no rush, although my parents are telling me that I should consider going to universities to network with the various banks. My parents married for love and they're still deeply in love with each other after all this years and I would want that." 

Frankie now had a wolfish grin on his face. “That sounds wonderful. Who wouldn’t want a love that lasts a lifetime? That’s true, you don’t need to rush that. When Cupid fires his arrow, you’ll know.” He winked again before continuing. 

“Yes, universities are a good way of networking - I think that’s the primary reason most people go there, anyways. I think that’s why Sam went - well, in actuality, his parents kind of coerced him to go, since they want him to be a lawyer and yadda, yadda, yadda, that apparently makes a lot of money. But yes. It’d be interesting if you and Sam ended up in the same university on the Upper East Side! Lincoln College - that’s where he goes. Are you applying there?”

"Yes, it's largely that reason why most would go to universities. I do pity him. I could at least negotiate with my parents, and it was a lot of back and forth. My father wished he had that opportunity. Well I told them that if I got myself settled before I got an acceptance I would be able to reject but I don't have anything to show so I have to uphold my end of the bargain," he said. 

“I see. So you don’t want to go to university, then? Are you more interested in throwing yourself straight into the business world? You think university will distract you from your goals?” Frankie blinked, slightly surprised. He thought that a man of Annibale’s caliber would appreciate a chance to go to university.

"I'm not that excited. If I could I would have not gone for it, that's what I did back home. It is distracting since you rarely learn it until you're in knee deep and the things I've seen there is different than what I heard mostly. And school is heavily theoretical after all." 

Frankie dipped his head in understanding. “You’re right. If I had the ability and the funds to go to university, maybe I would’ve made the same decision as you. And the fact that it’s like four years is also incredibly offputting for me. That’s four years of my life gone to some ivory tower of academia that doesn’t apply to anything else in life. It’s academia for the sake of academia…nah, I’m better off what I’m doing right now.”

Frankie looked at the menu, curious if Annibale wanted anything else. 

“Is there anything else you’d like to try out?”

"What would you recommend?" Annibale asked.

“How about involtini di pesce spada or swordfish rolls? We aren’t just an Italian-American restaurant, Signore,” Frankie laughed. “We also have some Sicilian specialties.”

Annibale thought about it, he never had swordfish. But he was no stranger to seafood and his parents rarely held any animosity to the south though they had never went to Sicily, Naples was the furthest that his family went. 

It sounded appealing, well anything was appealing to him since he landed here especially if it was home. "I'll take it." 

“Excellent.” Frankie left for the kitchen again and in a few minutes, he returned with a small plate with a few white swordfish rolls on it.

He placed the dish delicately in front of Annibale.

“Enjoy!”

He picked up a fork, to see the fish inside. It did feel like a trace of home. “It’s good, well not in a way that I can compare it. But it makes me feel like I’m back home again.” 

He finished it, before he left, once he got some directions on how to return to the Upper East Side.