Life is For Living

They call it the "Get what you get" deal. First you pay a flat rate of fifty dollars. Then you put your hand in a cigar box and without looking pick a piece of paper out of the box, which you uncrumple to reveal the tattoo the artist is going to put on you. As in, you must get whatever random tattoo you happened to pick.

Now, assuming its something entirely disagreeable, one may be allowed to pick again, after coughing up ten more dollars.

The three of us decided it would be an awesome idea to get tattooed in a such a manner, in honor of S.'s wedding day, which is tomorrow. And yes, we were very drunk when we decided this would be a good idea, to go about getting tattooed in this manner.

All day long I wondered if it would really work out this way. After all, my friends and I like to talk big sometimes.

So around five o'clock I got the call, and off we went to the parlor.

...

J. drew first. Chanting, "give me something metal..." as in rock music, he drew a demon's face with a dragon behind it. The three of us cackled with joy, because it was awesome. A. drew next, though the question weighing heavy on his mind, "Should I really do this?" He got a caricature of the famous Amelia Earhart, and again, the laughter, shouts of "Awesome!"

And as for me, of course, I happened to pick the one tattoo I had to decline. It was of a lady in a string bikini with giant knockers. My being able to commit to a woman issues notwithstanding, I had to think about this one long and hard.

On general principle, I should have gotten it. I got what I got, and them's the breaks.

But no. I sat there racking my brain trying to figure out if I really wanted it, knowing full well I shouldn't, when the artist came up with a different offer. He had me look at a poster full of tattoos, and pointed to one in the corner and said, "This one, and only this one, no extra drawing charge..."

I couldn't refuse it.

So now I have a skull, a pirate skull to be exact, wearing a hat and scarf, smoking a pipe, resting on my left bicep, in full view.

It is awesome.

I also asked the artist if he could add a mustache to the skull, but he declined for ascetic reasons. I'm thinking of going to a different place to see if they could add a mustache on later, but I suppose I should let this one heal first.

...

Oh, can someone who lived through this time please explain this to me? I mean, how creepy is this, and what is up with the lead singer's teeth?

Note - the awesome mustache on the jug player.

...

And I bought a new suit. I'm trying to find a way to post pictures, well, I mean I'm really lazy about posting pictures, and one day I will do it, cuz I'm thinking of getting a digital camera.

But the suit is sweet. Off-white, matching pants, and I also bought a ruffly, pirate-like shirt to go underneath.

I'm gonna look smoking hot tomorrow.