To Tattoo or Not To

I cannot believe the tattoos around here. Males and females of every age and stage of life sport some kind of permanent ink on their skin.

THESE ARE MY PEOPLE!

We credit our friends who blazed the parenting trails years ahead of us for helping us navigate the teenage waters. The mistakes we didn't make were due in part to their words of wisdom as they honestly shared their mistakes and victories in raising good kids.

One family was blindsided when their son came home from a rock concert with his ear pierced and a tattoo. They had warned him not to take candy/drugs/rides from strangers. But when they asked him why he got his ear pierced from some guy on a Harley, the reply was, "You didn't tell me not to."

So at every parting, we lovingly told our two sons to be safe, have fun and be in by curfew. AND DON'T GET ANYTHING PIERCED OR TATTOO'D.

A few years ago, my cousin Janet began to confess that she was 'having a little work done'. I had heard of permanent eyeliner, but didn't like the idea of having my eyelids stuck with needles. I'm funny that way. Not only had she done her eyeliner, she had permanent lipstick, cheek color and eyebrows. Eyebrows! That got my attention.

I began tweezing in the 70's and stopped when I saw a close-up of Brooke Shields. By then, it was too late. I had overdone it, and there was no going back. And none growing back. There were barely enough hairs there to trace with an eyebrow pencil, and if I happened to rub the wrong spot, I frightened small children with my one brow.

"If you ever have a coupon for 'buy one brow, get the other one free', call me." I half joked. The next time we were together, she surprised me with a gift certificate and an appointment for later that day. She assured me the procedure was professional and painless.

It was a comfort to see the technicians in white lab coats. And the fact that they did not also sell bail bonds was a plus. I was a little confused as to why they said I had to alert the blood bank before donating in the future, and I might not want to have an MRI anytime soon. I looked back and forth between the waiver and Janet's eyebrows. Those two, beautiful permanent eyebrows. I was in!

After the before photo, I was assisted in selecting a shape and color that complimented my face. The lines were drawn. Literally. As I reclined in the chair with a warm blanket, the humming of the tattoo tool was about to put me to sleep when suddenly I yelled for her to stop.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes. But this is too funny. I have to call my boys!"
Matt and Scott were both untattoo'd students at Abilene Christian University. They were not going to believe what I was about to do. I left messages on both of their cell phones. "Hi, this is Mom. I just wanted you to know that I am in San Antonio for the weekend getting a tattoo. Love you!"

"Okay. You may continue." Minutes later one of the boys called back. His voice was tentative as he said, "Mom?"

"Hi, sweetheart. I can't talk right now. I'm getting a tattoo."

"I'm not kidding, Mom. What are you doing?"

"I'm not kidding either. Well, actually I am getting two tattoos. But she's not finished yet, so I need to go."

"Mom. Seriously. Are you getting a tattoo?"

"Yes, I am. Seriously."

Then he turned to the crowd and yelled, "My mom is totally getting tattoo'd!" Cheers rang out from the dorm as their friends yelled, "Way to go, Mrs. McBryde! You rock!"

Finally. I rocked.

Those two weeks of itchy, vaselined eyebrows were a little uncomfortable. And I don't even use my eyebrows that often. But lips? Eyelids? OUCH! I cannot imagine how painful and expensive it must be to have an entire arm or leg done. Not to mention the places I'm not going to mention.

I'm still glad I did it. The results were worth it. And except for that unfortunate experience of having to get out of line at the church blood drive, it was all positive. I probably didn't have to yell to the crowd on the way out, "It's not because I had sex with a strangers in Africa!" But they were my friends and I thought I owed them an explanation.

Those are my people, too.