I can remember as a young boy, asking my father why he had a tattoo. His simple reply was, "because I was in the navy." I asked him what that had to do with it. He said, "because if you didn't get one, they'd throw you overboard and make you swim home."
I know he was just kidding (sorta) but he did go on to tell me that every tattoo has a story. I asked him his story. His tat was a dove with an olive branch in it's mouth, which was a symbol of peace. It was 1957 when he was in the navy, Korea was still fresh on everybody's mind, and Vietnam was just over the horizon.
It's funny...dad got his at Painless Ned's tattoo parlor in San Diego, just before they shipped off to the Philippines. Years later, when I put on a gun and badge, I stopped a man about speeding, running a stop sign, whatever, and I noticed he had the exacr same tat as my father.
After I asked him for his license and insurance, and explained to him why I pulled him over, I kinda gestured to his ink and said, "Painless Ned's, San Diego?" His jaw dropped, and he said, "how in the hell did you know that?"
I told him about my father having the same one. The man said that a bunch of them were lined up to get their ink before shipping out. We talked for a good long while. He and dad were probably there at the same time and more than likely, on the same vessel together, but he didn't recognize dad's name when I told him.
I grew up thinking that the only people that had tattoos were pirates, servicemen and convicts. Nowadays, it's harder to find somebody without ink than someone with. From professional athletes to post menopausal women, seems like they're everywhere.
Personally, I was never passionate about anything to have it permanently affixed to my body. I did think about getting my name (Evan) across my knuckles like Ozzy, but nah. I always tell people my mother named me that because all the other 4 letter words were taken.
If they have personal meaning, I can appreciate it better than just some skulls and dragons and crap like most folks get.
I met a girl once who had a heart with a pink ribbon around it. It was for her grandpa who died of a heart attack and her grandma who died of breast cancer.. That's cool.
I also met this dipshit who had the University of Oklahoma's OU logo on his arm. I asked if he was an OU alumni. He said no, never even set foot upon the campus. He just thought they had a good football team.
So what's your tats story?
I know he was just kidding (sorta) but he did go on to tell me that every tattoo has a story. I asked him his story. His tat was a dove with an olive branch in it's mouth, which was a symbol of peace. It was 1957 when he was in the navy, Korea was still fresh on everybody's mind, and Vietnam was just over the horizon.
It's funny...dad got his at Painless Ned's tattoo parlor in San Diego, just before they shipped off to the Philippines. Years later, when I put on a gun and badge, I stopped a man about speeding, running a stop sign, whatever, and I noticed he had the exacr same tat as my father.
After I asked him for his license and insurance, and explained to him why I pulled him over, I kinda gestured to his ink and said, "Painless Ned's, San Diego?" His jaw dropped, and he said, "how in the hell did you know that?"
I told him about my father having the same one. The man said that a bunch of them were lined up to get their ink before shipping out. We talked for a good long while. He and dad were probably there at the same time and more than likely, on the same vessel together, but he didn't recognize dad's name when I told him.
I grew up thinking that the only people that had tattoos were pirates, servicemen and convicts. Nowadays, it's harder to find somebody without ink than someone with. From professional athletes to post menopausal women, seems like they're everywhere.
Personally, I was never passionate about anything to have it permanently affixed to my body. I did think about getting my name (Evan) across my knuckles like Ozzy, but nah. I always tell people my mother named me that because all the other 4 letter words were taken.
If they have personal meaning, I can appreciate it better than just some skulls and dragons and crap like most folks get.
I met a girl once who had a heart with a pink ribbon around it. It was for her grandpa who died of a heart attack and her grandma who died of breast cancer.. That's cool.
I also met this dipshit who had the University of Oklahoma's OU logo on his arm. I asked if he was an OU alumni. He said no, never even set foot upon the campus. He just thought they had a good football team.
So what's your tats story?
