Jesse Rey Tovar

A Talk on Why I Canceled Inviting Henri Esteve to Wi Spa

When Henri gave me a ride to the train station, I shared that I go to Korean Spas. Henri listened in non-judgement. Plus, Henri is a heartthrob. My friend has a crush on him because of Revenge. She suggests I get him to go hang with me at Wi Spa, and tell her every detail about Esteve. So, I nervously ask Henri if he's down to go with me sometime. He replies, "I'm down, dude. It won't be weird." After my friend introduced me to skinship, I explained her definition to Henri. He listened in non-judgement. If there's a connection between skinship and phallocentrism (I know I am overdue!), Henri Fucking Esteve made the connection a possible reality! Henri shared with me that a man wearing swim-shorts in a gym shower he was at one time complemented how he's a confident man. I imagine this guy says this as he is facing right in front of Henri's bare ass. One time, Henri made a crude joke with his friend. To me, the opportunity to ask a personal question presented itself. And I did after she stepped out. I admit, I'm like curious Phoebe Buffay. I like comparing myself to others. Another time, his friend from Germany was in town. The subject, locker rooms, came up. I mention that Henri and I are considered to be unusually confident about our bodies in the locker room. Henri interrupts me, saying, "If I can't place my towel near me while showering, I cup my crotch while walking back to the locker to dry myself. It's rude not to." Maybe Henri wants to show her he's modest. Henri also admitted to us that one time, at the same gym where he was given props for being a man, another guy said to him as Henri was walking back to his locker covering his junk, " I haven't seen you in a while."  Henri expressed he was creeped out. A prior insecurity he thought he shook off reemerged. So when I spoke to Henri over the phone to invite him to Win Spa, after his friend went back to Germany, I looked back at the numerous times I asked if he's down, and after a very long pause, I decided I don't want to alienate him from me by being anxiously creepy while being there. To all who listen in non-judgement about skinship, not everyone will understand, even if they say they get it. We spoke about my broken collarbone instead.

Looking Back to Sweat Session Before Rat Year

Eli and Michael went to Spa Palace near MacArthur Park on January 11. Eli went because it was his first sweat session in 2020. Michael, his friend, and his cousin went for one last sweat session in the year of the pig. 

After Eli hung out in the common area, Eli took off Spa Palace's shirt and shorts (the uniform), walked by Michael, who took off his clothes, and went inside the Men's Spa area. (For those who've never been to Spa Palace or any K-spa, the gender-segregated spa area contains showers, cold, hot, and/or warm tubs, a dry sauna room, and a steam room.) Eli ran into Michael's friend and cousin exiting the dry sauna room. After Michael left the dry sauna, Eli ran into all three exiting the steam room. When Eli was sitting on a chair facing the cold tub watching the Kings-Hurricanes game on the TV facing the warm tub on the other side of the room where the hot tub is between the cold and warm tubs, he noticed Michael's cousin hesitating to get in the cold tub. Eli told him to dunk his whole body in. Michael's cousin listened and immersed himself in the cold tub. Michael's friend dipped his right toes in before plunging right in the cold tub. Michael rushed down the cold tub's ladder and immersed himself in the tub. Eli already went in the cold and hot tub when he first arrived and decided not to get in again.

Moments later, Eli entered the warm tub where all three were. They introduced themselves to one another. All talked about investing into the stock market, but Eli had his reservations. In their discussion about where each goes to college and work, Eli learned that Michael goes to the same university, Cal State LA. It's not everyday two students from the same school meet one another in the buff, yet that's a commonality in the K-spa environment. Michael's friend is an architect for a firm in Alhambra. He graduated from Cal Poly Pomona. Eli never thought he would meet an architect in the buff either, and he cannot forget Michael's friend's peach tree tattoo on his left butt cheek. Anyways, Michael's cousin said he goes to UCR as an Engineering major. Afterwards, the three got out the warm tub first, and then Eli got out right after, feeling disappointed the Kings lost.

Back in the locker room facing the Men's Spa entrance, as Eli put his clothes back on, he told Michael and the other two while they were putting on the spa's uniform to enter the common area that he's taking off. They said later to Eli. Eli drove back to his apartment. Since they all talked about the incoming Chinese New Year, Eli imagined himself doing the same before a new year to sweat out the outgoing year because in fact, he did so two days after Christmas at Wi Spa.

After celebrating the new year of the rat, on March 11, Eli and Michael ran into each other at Cal State LA, nodding "sup." Michael, a senior, got off one of his Virology classes. Eli, a second year grad student, was on campus before one of his Econ classes. Due to his knowledge of Michael's unclothed body, Eli hesitantly asked Michael if he wanted to grab a beer. Michael declined partly because of his knowledge of Eli's unclothed body. Nonetheless, Michael invited Eli to join him and his friends at Casey's in Downtown LA on St. Patrick's Day to delay their reunion after meeting at Spa Palace. Eli said he'd pay for Michael at the campus bar, and Michael hesitantly agreed. During their hangout and after, Eli was pleased he made another friend despite their unusual first greeting. He was pleased at the possibility of living vicariously through Michael's architect friend due to him being a former Architect major at LACC. And he was looking forward to exploring Riverside while hanging with Michael's cousin. Turns out it was the right choice to have a beer on campus because the turn-up at Casey's was canceled due to the pandemic.