Scary Asian Dad

Many things scared me as a child, Santa Claus, giant characters wandering around Disneyland, swallowing large pills, water in my face, the list goes on. No wonder my Mom was concerned about me on a regular basis. While I was able to overcome most fears, it took a long time to get over my scary Asian Dad complex. Was it just me who felt this way? When I went to play at the homes of Caucasian families the Dads seemed really nice and friendly. Granted this data may be a bit skewed because honestly I had maybe 3 white friends growing up. Regardless, I genuinely felt uncomfortable around Asian Dads for a long time. They seemed unfriendly, angry, and recluse and for some reason I always felt like I had disappointed them.

So was my Dad scary? Much like most things in my life, I can’t remember. I know my white friend was not afraid of him. This is probably because one time she came over to play and my Dad answered the door in his underwear (we’re talking tighty-whities).  So if anything she was made uncomfortable more so than scared.

They say girls look to the traits of their fathers when seeking a boyfriend/husband. If that were the case, I’d be searching for the following:

-Highly intelligent, but socially awkward.

-Tucks in all shirts, even t-shirts.

-Wears shorts in the summertime, but with black dress socks and formal shoes.

-Enjoys Vietnamese food, could potentially live off pho and banh mi for a month.

-Never formally ends a phone conversation, just hangs up abruptly.

-Refuses to throw anything away. “We should save all our cell phones because I will find a way to reuse the battery".

-Can fall asleep anywhere and everywhere.

It’s taken me 20+ years, but I think I’ve finally learned to appreciate my Dad for who he is. I also realized that he’s more scared of me than I am of him. So now I’m consumed with POWER. Who knew being a Daddy’s girl could be so fun?