I rather doubt that's true and I'm not jazzed about finding out at this point in my life but it makes for a good story.
About six months ago I was watching a female comedian on HBO. She said sixty-year-old guys with pony tails and earrings were, "sad reminders of ageing men trying to hold on to or recapture a youth long passed, especially half bald fellows with pony tails." I've never had a pony tail. At the time I did wear an earring, I took it out and haven't worn it since.
I have a reminder of my youth, it's a tattoo on my left bicep and it makes for a good story.....cemetery of choice be damned.
After living in San Francisco and Berkeley in the late 1960's and early 1970's I migrated out to Danville, California. I was in my early twenties and working odd jobs at the time. One afternoon I got a call inviting me to drive down to southern California.
Shon and Joyce lived in Berkeley. They were young people with old souls. Joyce was a terrific cook. She went shopping every day and whipped up the most delicious meals using fresh ingredients. They had records by Bix Beiderbecke and loved Busby Berkley films. I've heard the expression Renaissance man used to describe deep thinkers and artistic people. My friends were Renaissance people.
Shon was from a prominent Los Angeles family and had a friend who played with the Tonight Show band. We'd stay with "Freddie Saxophone" up in the Hollywood Hills while Shon made his obligatory family visit.
Shon and Joyce wanted Japanese themed body art tattoos and soon it was on to San Diego for appointments with Ed Hardy.
Ed Hardy is very famous in clothing design, art and the tattoo world.
Rebecca aside, the best thing the bad spouse ever gave me was a boxed set of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I hadn't taken the time to read much in the previous few years so it was a much welcome diversion in 1973. The series is not an easy read but with visions of "Frodo Lives" written on Berkeley walls I devoured the series. I fell in love with the Shire and Hobbits, the adventure and danger and especially the wizard Gandalf.
On the way down to San Diego I decided I was going to get a Gandalf tattoo. Gandalf....he wore a plain robe, a great big floppy hat and carried a magical staff. Gandalf was one of the good guys and always used his skills to fight evil.
I would have Ed Hardy adorn my body with a Japanese style rendition of the wizard. I was so cool and I had no idea how ahead of the times I was. This was thirty-eight years before Peter Jackson and Sir Ian McKellen would bring Gandalf to the big screen. I thought of everything except the most important aspect of obtaining service from others which is money. As in, I didn't have much.
The expression at the time was. "He doesn't have two nickels to rub together" or "He doesn't have a pot to piss in." I didn't have a savings or checking account and certainly not a credit card but I had faith and I was determined. I was in a tattoo shop and I was going to get a tattoo.
So I asked Ed Hardy what it would take to get my dream tattoo. He said, "About $200." I asked him what I could get for $10.
Looking back now I'm sure it was only because of my friends business he consented to draw the design I referred to for years as "the sparks from Gandalfs staff."
There on my left bicep I always had a reminder of my trip to San Diego and my Ed Hardy tattoo.
By the way, that's Younger Daughter Rebecca on the right......my right.
Every time I glanced in a mirror or someone asked me about it I was reminded of my naivete'. The body decor result was a microcosm of my early twenties. I simply expected things I wanted to work out with little planning or attention to detail. When a series of unlikely events aligned properly after fifteen years I decided to cover my sparks with a proper tattoo.
This was taken last Friday.
It looked better in 1987, not much but it did look better. One thing about body ink, you can't give it back. Sleeves were much easier and cheaper than laser removal and after all, I still had the original Ed Hardy lost underneath the top rose. I never asked others but I always thought the snake looked like he had a few too many drinks.
Having ditched my earring I wanted something to connect me with the youth of today. For the last few years I've wanted to update my snake and checked into it a few years ago. From time to time I'd given it lip service. Mostly when I see new ink on a friend or acquaintance, "Who did your work?" I ask. I'd get a reference and think about it for five minutes. Ultimately the decision to proceeded had been stymied by the realization that I'm so old what the Hell difference does it make. Unless sun bathing (which I don't do) or swimming (which I've done twice in the last year) no one is going to see it. And really, who wants to see 65-year-old crinkled collagen depleted skin anyway.
But as fate would have it a new tattoo shop opened a stones throw from our favorite area Starbucks. For the last few months Wanda and I have been driving by Delta Art & Tattoo and having the same conversation. She asks if I want to stop and I say yes but not now. Last Friday after getting my $2 after 2 o'clock receipt treat frappuccino I finally decided to go in.
Now if your preconceived notion of inked up shop workers is hard boiled drug addled anarchists, forget it. Jason, Rob and the young lady whose name escapes me were welcoming and professional. As children of the 60's we like to say, "We got good vibes." and that we did. In spite of the 96 degree heat and the malfunctioning air conditioning I immediately felt welcome.
While I was there Jason went out and purchased a portable A.C. unit. After it was set up I felt even more welcome.
Rob and I talked about what I was looking for. I deferred to his expertise in color and shading. He's a fine artist and he didn't exactly have a blank canvas to work on. He had my parchment paper skin and (in my opinion) a silly looking snake to hopefully improve.
He set up and over the next three hours he worked while I talked, perhaps too much. As I was worked on by this young man I was reminded of many things I've done in my life. I had to bite my tongue several time so as not to try and give this twenty-three-year-old my sage and wise advice.
I can't say enough about the experience. The shop was busy and fun, the energy infectious (and I can assure you it was the only thing that is). Seeing young people pursuing their dreams and doing what they love was extremely gratifying.
While I do think some of forms of self-expression are a little over the top who am I to judge. I was the one running around wearing a Beatles wig in 1964.
Now that I have updated my snake and have money I can finally get the Gandalf I've always wanted. Wanda said I can check into it but he'll probably look like he's drawn on crumpled up tin foil. I'm so torn...
Oh....and about the snake...I got the idea from The Doors and The End
Lost in a Roman wilderness of pain
And all the children are insane, all the children are insane
Waiting for the summer rain, yeah
There's danger on the edge of town
Ride the King's highway, baby
Weird scenes inside the gold mine
Ride the highway west, baby
Ride the snake, ride the snake
To the lake, the ancient lake, baby
The snake is long, seven miles
Not really, but it is a good story.
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