T is for...Tattoo

My mother when she was in high school

A few years ago, my 80+ year-old mother and I were sitting in her living room.  I was ‘home’ visiting and our conversations ranged wide and far. 

“I’ve always wanted a tattoo,” my mother said.  (Note: this is from a frail woman, church goer, pie-baker, farm wife).

“Ooooo…kaaaay,” I answered, not sure where she was going with this.  Sometimes Mom would say the most interesting things, and other times we talked about family and gossip.  “What kind of tattoo would you like?”

She chuckled.  “I’d like a….snake!  And I’d have it right here!”  She raised a pant leg, and pointed to just above her knee. 

One of many snake tattoo options

Our conversation continued, and then moved on.  I thought she had put the topic away.

A few days later we shopping and stopped to gas up the car.  

 One of the employees saw us ‘old women’ (I am not that old.) and helped us.  He talked with my mother through the window.  She noticed the tattoes that ran the length of both arms. 

“Where’d you get those done?”  She asked.

He blinked a little, told her a friend did them.  He was a younger, thinner “Larry the Cable Guy”.

I love this Larry guy; he makes me laugh....

“Can you give us his phone number?  I’d like to get a tattoo.”

He blinked a lot, looking at this 80+ yr. old woman.  “Why, sure, M’am.  What tattoo would you like?”

So she told him: a snake, right her above her knee.  When she was young, boys were always trying to reach up her skirt, and she thought it would be funny if she had a snake there.  To scare those frisky boys.

The young man blinked a lot, bit his lip, and nodded, “I’ll get you that number.”

He gave the phone number to me without a word.