(Photo: Jake Chessum)

(Interview with Dr. Peter Lauper, Numa’s grandfather.)

What does Numa like to wear?
Soccer shirts. He likes Ronaldinho and famous Italian players. He is also very knowledgeable about car racing. He personally is a Ferrari fan, but wants to practice baseball when grown up.

Do people stop him a lot on the street?
Of course! They are very much attracted by his long blond hair and blue eyes. He is also very communicative, not shy. The normal thing people say is “how cute,” “how charming,” et cetera. He seeks socializing with everybody, in trains, planes, on the street. I think he learned this openness in day care.

Does he get stopped more in New York than in Europe?
He is very often the point of attraction in Switzerland, where he lives, but in New York, he really is the charm of almost everyone.

What kind of name is Numa?
It’s an old Italian name; Numa Pompilius was the second king of Rome, right after the famous Romulus.

Related:

• Archive: “Look Book”
• Articles by Amy Larocca
• Table of Contents: Nov 12, 2007 issue of New York | Subscribe!