Area teen Gina Russo enjoyed a lovely phone conversation this Valentine’s Day when her great aunt, Luisa Capello, called to ask about what Russo would be doing with her boyfriend for the holiday. Russo, with the current relationship status of “single,” spent over one hour explaining to her aunt that it’s okay to be single and that she will spend the day simply doing homework. “I told my aunt that I’ll get a boyfriend when I’m ready to stop having casual sex,” said Russo.

Capello calls at least twice a week, with their phone conversations usually lasting between one to four hours. Typical topics of conversation include: how much Russo looks like her mother, what was going on at the senior center that day, a recap of everything that the priest said in church on Sunday, and questions about technology. Usually when things get quiet her aunt will break the silence with a sprinkling of questions pertaining to why Russo is single.

“Nothing is better than your heteronormative family members constantly asking why you’re single,” said Russo. “She means well and just wants what’s best for me.”  

Russo says she talks to her great aunt more often than her own parents. “I make her day and she makes mine. It’s nice to know someone cares about you enough to call every week and talk your ear off for hours.”