My Tattoo
My fortieth birthday – some years ago – didn’t bother me much. It just came and went but – leading up to my fiftieth birthday – was a bit different story – definitely all downhill from there.
My solution to my disappearing youth, was a promise to myself, to get a motorbike – an earring and a tattoo.
The motorbike was immediately vetoed by my wife in her ‘she who must be obeyed’ voice. She also pointed out that I was still working as a freelance seminar trainer and walking into a training room with an earring at my age – did not present the right image.
She was, of course, right on both counts – but did not object to the tattoo as long as it was small and wasn’t on my neck – we even discussed what it might be, and I had an idea that she quite liked.
She was qualified in and practised; a Japanese healing therapy know as Reiki which incorporated a range of symbols – so she was actually happy for me to get one as a tattoo – as long as it was in the small of my back. She even suggested the Power symbol, which was basically a spiral – which I was happy to go along with.
Reiki Power Symbol
So – one sunny day I get the train into the centre of Bolton, where we then lived – because I had seen a tattoo parlour opposite the main train station. Taking with me a picture of the symbol.
I admit that I walked past it a few times – a tattoo is pretty permanent – then thought I can just show them the picture and at least confirm if they can do it or not.
Into the shop – big lad sat at a desk and no sign of other customers. Show him the picture – no problem for him. Seems they scan any image onto transfer paper and transfer it to your skin and just fill it in.
Then he says – ‘I can do it right now for you’ – took me back a bit – but I just treated it as fate and bit the bullet and said OK.
Upstairs and into the torture chamber – sorry – the studio. T shirt off and he applies the transfer and suggests that I just have a look in the mirror before he starts with needle and ink.
I have a look and say – ‘shouldn’t it be going clockwise from the centre – he says – ‘you’re looking at it in a mirror – it’s the right way round’. I was under a bit of pressure.
Then sat straddling a chair leaning over the back of it and he gets to work – and yes, it does sting a bit, not much fat in the small of your back – well not on mine anyway.
I was brave and didn’t cry.
After about fifteen minutes -foot steps coming up the stairs and a middle-aged couple appear in the open doorway which I am facing. Tattooist stops briefly and says – ‘Now, I didn’t hit him!’
A conversation ensued – as if I was invisible. I did eventually pick up the story – they were the Landlord/lady from the pub next door and Andy (the tattooist) had been in there the evening before (from his size I imagined he was a regular) and he had words with the barman – starting with – ‘The music is too loud, can you turn it down please’.
He obviously didn’t get the reply he wanted and it got a little heated – and he again said – ‘but I didn’t hit him’.
They had actually come to apologise – saying that they had words with the barman and it won’t happen again.
Then she leans over to see what he is doing on me – and says to me – ‘is that Bolton Wanderers? (local football team) when I said – ‘No, it’s a Japanese Reiki symbol’ I got the expected blank look but thankfully she didn’t as for an explanation – telling her my wife did massage would have given her completely the wrong idea.
Did distract me a bit from the action and Andy finished just after they left and it’s still there to this day.
Went home – a hero!