Monday, August 20

Body Ink

When I was 18 I went with some friends and got a tattoo.  As we headed out of state, tattoo shops were illegal where we lived at the time, I kept trying to decide where I was going to get my tattoo.  It wasn't a matter of if I was getting one but where could I get one where my parents wouldn't find out.

My friend Melissa opted to put her tattoo on her wrist, reasoning she would always been wearing her watch so her parent's would never notice.  I think she made it a week before they found out.

Clearly, our parent's didn't want any of us getting body art.

I opted for my lower left stomach, just north of my hip and west of my belly button.

I was able to keep it a secret for a good 10 years.

Until my mom get her first tattoo.  I was so happy to finally share this with her, I dropped my pants in front of her and showed her mine.

Nowadays I don't think much about it, it's part of me.  My kids know about it and find tattoos very common place.  RR loves them, but would never get a real one (the fake ones are just fine according to him) - he doesn't like needles and what if he changes his mind.  Smart kid.

Today I was at a new doctor and she noticed my body art and says to me "So what is it?"

At first I had no idea what she was talking about, as honestly I forget I have tattoo most times.

"Oh, it's 3 suns setting inside each other", I reply.

"Um... yeah I see it." she says after a little.  "I once had a patient with a really beautiful dolphin across her lower stomach.  By the time her pregnancy was over it was a whale."

I chuckle, "Yeah, the 18 year old me didn't really think this through and didn't take into account what pregnancy might do to a tattoo in this area."

My doctor agrees.

"You know, there should be more female tattoo artists to warn women ahead of time about what might happen to a tattoo in this area."

Yup, I think we're on to something here.

2 comments:

Sue said...

Mine & Debbie's BFF tatts were done by a women and as she says. "Be careful were you put that rose, in 20 years it may become a long stemmed one."

Kerryl Murray McGlennon said...

ditto to Sue's comment - a college friend's grandma said the same thing when she saw her rosebud on her (rather well endowed) breast.

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