Even if everyone has a tattoo, think before you ink

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Even if everyone has a tattoo, think before you ink
January 23, 2011
Andrew Daddo
National Times

T'S time to get a tattoo before it's too late. We just had a few days up north where almost everyone has ink, and it'd completely suck to miss out on being "in".

That is, unless I resist the temptation to have that special something inked into me. Being a cleanskin probably puts me in the minority, and, if I remember correctly from primary school, a big part of being cool is being different. Decisions, decisions, hey?

Have you noticed how many people have ink? Not just bikies and sailors like the old days, but everyone. And not little Superman emblems on the biceps or hibiscus tucked away on the back of the shoulder, but TATTS! Anywhere you look, there is running writing creeping up above the collar. Peace symbols live behind many ears and all the cool kids have stuff on the back of their necks or just above their bums.
When those hard surfer dudes from Malabar got “Mother's Little Helper” or whatever it is in inch-high gothic across their chests, I bet they thought they were being so rad no one would copy them. Wrong. The other day I saw a kid with “My Mother My Angle” around his neck.

I couldn't help staring. Eventually, in a mixture of pre- and post-pubescent grunts, he asked me what I was looking at. "Your tatt, mate. It's cool. Your mother's an . . . "

"She's a angel, mate. A angel."

"Oh, right. Because your tatt says, um . . ." He made a move towards me. With his chin jutting out like that I got a good look at his Adam's apple. It was incredibly sharp and I was worried if he bumped into me it'd really hurt. "Angel, yeah. Your mother's an angel," I said.

"Ken oath, she is."

"What a beautiful way to remember her," I said. "She must look down from her angelness and be so proud."

It's not for me to judge anyone but has everyone forgotten tatts are kind of permanent? Up north, it's not as if a few people have them; it's everyone. Young, strong beautifully tanned bodies and old, flabby white ones . . . the lure of ink doesn't discriminate.

Tattoo parlours are everywhere. They're the new 7-Eleven. And if it's not enough to get inked. How about a pair of those tribal earrings that put dirty great holes in your earlobes? Someone will definitely have to help me understand the attraction of those puppies in 40 years' time.

I'd guess that in the deepest darkest Amazon or wherever the idea came from, they didn't have TV or Gameboys. So huge, holey earlobes were a way of giving the grandparents something to do with the kids. Babies could put their fingers through the holes and the older kids could lob stones through them.

Our kids like looking in tattoo parlours to find their favourite designs from real people at the beach. But it seems like the truly creative work comes from the heart, not the shops. And that's totally cool, man.

Our favourites so far: "Loyalty Beyond Reason." This bloke had a face so scarred he either needs to rethink or learn to fight.

Tatts Life. Fink before you Ink.

And best of all, a barcode. Underneath, in big block letters: “Simon” and a mobile number. I called it. He answered. "Cool tatt," I said.

"Up yours," he snarled back.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/even-if-everyone-has-a-tattoo-think-before-you-ink-20110122-1a0hq.html#ixzz1LPSSBU8L