Never say never

“Are we all getting tattoos in …?” he asked. Granted, his body had more than a handful already. I quickly looked over at my friend who was standing behind and vigorously shaking his head, mouthing the word, NO.

Phew, I thought, if he’s not, then I don’t have to either. What I was actually thinking was, no way am I getting a tattoo. Ever.

Tattoo guy got the first on the day of our arrival. And the second a day or so later. Each time my friend and I politely but adamantly declined to join him. I wasn’t alone in my refusal, so I didn’t feel too bad. And he wasn’t my friend anyway.

We went to another town and while my friend and I went shopping, tattoo guy got a third for the occasion. What I got was this cool bracelet depicting the myth of Sisyphus. It was maybe that very evening when tattoo guy asked us once again.

I looked at my bracelet and said, “you know, if I would ever get a tattoo, I would consider doing something like this….” Famous last words. That night I looked into the myth of Sisyphus. I knew of Camus’s book but had never read it.

It dawned on me that it pretty summarized my life.

I knew I had been my friend’s cover – he had stated quite plainly at the beginning of the trip that he would only get one if I did. So you can imagine his surprise the next morning when I said, “I thought about it and I’ll do this.”

To my disbelief he replied, “I will too.” Next thing I know, tattoo guy is on board as well. You have to understand, I did not know tattoo guy before the trip. Off we went and as proof of my intent, I went first. It was really pretty cool.

I kind of did it as a protest. I kind of did it as a dare. We were all celebrating our sixtieth that year, so I kind of did it with the knowledge that I had maybe twenty-odd years to regret it. If I ever did. And I haven’t yet.

What was so striking was that both my friend and tattoo guy did it as a show of solidarity. They were both knowledgeable about the reasons behind my choice. But that didn’t mean they had to emblazon it on their arms.

No one has ever done anything like that for me before. I still can’t quite believe it. It’s amazing what people will do for each other. To be supported like that was just incredible. It was one of the defining moments of my life….