Who is Misha Shklovsky from The History of Love and what is their importance?

Misha Shklovsky is a Russian boy that emigrates to New York. Alma meets him by way of Tatiana, her Russian pen pal. He exchanges letters with Alma for a while, then the two begin to meet in person, often at his home in Brighton Beach. He plays Beatles songs on an accordion that his grandfather willed to him and attempts to learn American slang from Alma. When he proposes that they be boyfriend and girlfriend, Alma panics and pushes him away. He ends up seeing another girl, Luba, instead.