The cable guy came to

Aug 20, 2001

The cable guy came to the apartment today. Hours after he left, when Anna was finally asleep and Erin and I had taken a dip into the pool, I was able to turn on the TV. For a while I watched a documentary on immigrant taxi drivers in New York City, and I wondered how my life would have been different if I’d decided to attend Columbia University this Fall instead of coming to North Carolina. I’m glad I’m here. I flipped through the other channels (the documentary was on the UNC channel, which seems to be like a NOVA channel with nature specials and other educational programming) and, to my joy, found that I have access to the Food Network channel. We’re only paying for the Basic Basic service, but even for $11 we can watch Food, WGN—go Cubbies—TBS and the network affiliates. Not that Erin and I will have much time to spend wasting our intellects in front of the TV. But still, the Food channel! I spent a few hours reading through my food magazines (Saveur, Cook’s Illustrated) and cookbooks, in the mode now for my responsibilities to cook for the household. I cleaned today, too, mopping the very sticky kitchen floor. But please don’t call me Mr. Mom. I’m playing my part so Erin can get her important degree, and I’m enjoying it already. Erin came back from her first, full day at the School of Public Health, where she met the deans and professors and other students. There are many other Returned Peace Corps Volunteers in the program, as well as students from 40 other countries. Erin met students—doctors and nurses and biostatisticians in their countries—from Namibia, Vietnam, Saipan and Japan. Needless to say, Erin is jazzed about her program, and that energizes me as well. Today’s kitchen challenge was soft pretzels, which didn’t come out of the oven very well. I’m hoping Wednesday’s yellow tomato, ginger and chile en adobo salsa on grilled pork is tastier.

Anton Zuiker ☄