Danielle’s fetish was for Asian males. Chito’s insecurities were heightened by the images she occasionally sent him of shirtless Asian men. At the age of 55, he had a beer belly and thinning hair on his head. Because of these alterations, he began to doubt his ability to satisfy Danielle’s cravings for an Asian hottie.

Chito’s nerves intensified as the day of their first meeting approached. Given Danielle’s apparent penchant for physically healthy and youthful-looking Asian males, he worried that his age, fat, and receding hairline might turn her off. He worried a lot about disappointing her and losing her love.

Chito felt a jolt of nervousness as they drove up to Westgate Resort for their swimming excursion. He anticipated that Danielle would soon see him shirtless, revealing his scar and beer belly. He was at his most vulnerable, and he was worried about how she would react.

Danielle was shocked to see Chito’s scar for the first time as they were about to jump into the pool. She couldn’t help herself and asked, “Wow, did you get shot or stabbed?” Chito pondered the situation for a while before opening up about the subject.

Chito took a long breath and said, “Well, I’ve been mugged before; I used to live in Southeast D.C., in Anacostia. However, this scar is a physical reminder of my time spent aboard the USS O’BANNON in the Navy. He went on to explain how his appendix was misdiagnosed, how it ruptured, and how the resulting sepsis nearly cost him his life. Chito stressed how close he came to dying and how important an operation the doctors had to do to preserve his life.

That’s an amazing tale. I assumed you enjoyed swimming since you frequent the Coronado Island pool.

Yes, but I usually wait until I’m sitting in the lounge chair on the pool’s edge to take my shirt off. I don’t just go shirtless to the pool and wander around.

He hesitated, fully anticipating some form of negative response. When Danielle reached out to take his hand, he was taken aback. She reassured him, “Chito, I understand that physical appearances may have originally drawn my attention, but it’s your character, personality, and the connection we’ve formed that actually count to me.

Danielle clarified that her preference for Asian guys in general did not weaken her feelings for Chito. She liked his thoughtfulness, wit, and ability to keep her laughing throughout their many chats. She liked him for who he was, rather than for any superficial reasons.

As Danielle’s words registered with Chito, a wave of relief washed over him. He had been dwelling on his perceived weaknesses rather than the things that made him appealing to Danielle. This exchange bonded them more closely and reaffirmed their belief that shared values and interests are more important than superficial similarities.

It was then that Chito realized the value of his individual characteristics, such as his age, wisdom, and life experiences. Self-love and self-assurance, he realized, were more beautiful than any superficial physical trait. As they became more comfortable with one another and developed deeper feelings of trust, acceptance, and gratitude for one another, their relationship flourished.