TATTOOS...THEY'RE NOT JUST FOR BREAKFAST ANYMORE...IT'S A FAMILY TRADITION
Last year,when my son turned 18, he didn't know what he wanted for his birthday...At the last minute he remembered what I had told him all his life:"If you get a tattoo before you turn 18,I promise I will REMOVE it for you. Said in that sinister dad's not fucking around here kind of way.Well, it worked...In spite of all the other misery he put me through,he believed me when I said I would remove any bullshit party tattoo he got in a most unpleasant way...He was able to resist the temptation until his 18th birthday...Then he remembered the OTHER thing I said about the subject:"If you decide you want one when you turn 18,I'll pay for it provided the artist is,well...An artist and not a needle freak (this referring to bad artists and not junkies).
Guess what he wanted for his birthday?That's right...And being a man of my word when I can't get around it,I agreed.
As luck would have it,the guy who did my back piece and whose known Kyle since he was a little boy,was in town for the tattoo convention,was available to tattoo my son.
He got a cheshire cat on his back,right between his boney shoulderblades...One of the worst possible places to get a first tattoo.He drew it himself(my son is an accomplished artist on paper and on the computer) and after a very few tattoo smart alterations, it was on...And it looked great.After it healed,we realized that the right side whiskers were missing...Understandable what with all the blood and ink spill.
So,as luck would have it,my buddy was back for the convention this year. Time to fill in the missing whiskers...And guess what my son wants for his birthday this year...That's right,another Alice in wonderland themed tattoo...And he shall have it.Drawn by him.
Last year,I got a tattoo with him,an old school lucky 13 horseshoe...This year it's knuckle tats of a crown,a skull and a nautical star.Father and son tattoos might sound kind of strange but me and my dad did the very same thing,in the very shop where my friend worked when he was in Texas,when he met my son.
Some fathers and sons fish or golf together,we get tattooed together.
I look at the tattoos I got with my dad and I smile at the memories...I look at the tattoo I got with my son and I smile at the memories so far and the memories to come.
Happy birthday Kyle...I'm looking forward to watching you make the "bitch face"(means OUCH!) and hope you don't notice when I make mine:).