For a long time I've wanted one, maybe ten or twelve years, but I didn't know exactly what I wanted, and it's permanent, so I never got one. Then, on Wednesday, my nephew and his wife each came home with a fleur-de-lis, and I knew immediately that I wanted one like theirs. Everything came together that day. His was on his upper arm, and my neice-in-law's on the top of her foot. My nephew got his first one 15 years ago and had never had trouble, so I figured the tattoo artist was safe and clean, so I did it. I now have a fleur-de-lis tattoo on the side of my leg right above my ankle. I chose a light gold for the fill color, not realizing at the time that I was labeling myself as a die-hard Saints football fan, which I am not. The fleur-de-lis is all over New Orleans since Katrina and the federal flood, and now I've joined the throng by decorating myself. Perfect, no?
The tattoo is a little larger than I wanted, but the artist said that it was the smallest he could do and still make it recognizable as a fleur-de-lis. It measures approximately two inches high by two inches wide. The procedure took about half an hour and hurt like needles stuck in my leg, but it wasn't really that bad. My nephew said, "Do you think Gayle (his mother and my sister, now deceased) is here? What is she thinking?" I was visiting in Kansas City when he showed his mother his first tattoo. She was not amused. I said that she was likely thinking I had gone completely over the edge.
So there. I came back from Kansas City a changed woman. We shall see. I'm not calling attention to the tattoo around here. I'll let folks notice on their and see what the reactions are.
UPDATE: My niece called the motel Thursday evening, and said, "Is this my idol?" I said, "You must have the wrong number." She said, "This is your niece. You are my idol! You got the tattoo!" She thought it was the coolest thing. She had just turned 50 the day before, which was a bit of a blow to her, and she was still feeling a little blue the day after, so I hope that I cheered her up. My brother-in-law had taken a picture and emailed it to her, so she had seen the finished product.
UPDATE 2: Here is THE TATTOO, still a little bloodied. Eew! My brother-in-law took this same-day picture. I'll post a better picture later, once it is healed.
UPDATE 3: Too good to stay hidden in the comments:
The Wayward Episcopalian said...
If the body is a temple, are tatoos the stained glass windows?