DEAR ABBY: I'm 17 and will start my senior year of high school next fall. Recently, I started talking to this boy in my cooking class named "Ethan." He's a year older, but I decided to make the first move. We went on a few dates and he was quiet, reserved and respectful. Overall, he's a nice guy.
At first the fact that he's only an inch taller than I am bothered me. But then he told me about a foot deformity he has. He said two of his toes on each foot are attached and he calls them "webbed." When he sent me a photo one day to prove it, I realized his toes were almost entirely attached and I freaked out. I don't know how to feel. Am I being shallow? -- NERVOUS IN NEW JERSEY
DEAR NERVOUS: No, I think you're being foolish. Ethan's toes are his issue, and you appear to be making it yours. You say he's a nice guy. Try to remember you are not dating his feet, you are dating the person to which they are appended, and a person's toes are not the measure of his character.
P.S. This is an excellent example of why it's unwise to send photos of one's anatomy.