One could describe me as impulsive. Even more so when it comes to my emotions and my feelings for people. It is something I try often to curb. Though a few times it has gotten the better of me one could say. Sometimes it is moving. Other times it is getting into a relationship. Though, there was this one time. It was a tattoo. I made the fabled choice of getting a tattoo, in the heat of the moment. A choice made on little sleep and feelings.
If you have met me, you know the one. Along my right arm a series of numbers and letters. 3D2Y. At the time, it had meaning. A pop culture reference. A promise we tried to make. Though we failed. Oh yes, I say we because I share this tattoo with two other people in this world. Both of whom at the time I was close with. My first big Polyamorous relationship. Though time changes things. Life changes things.
One day, during lunch we talked about how if anything ever went wrong what would we do about the tattoo. I listened as she vehemently went on about how she would never cover it. That it was disrespectful to the artist who had put it on our skin. That it represented an important time. No matter how hard the time was. I did agree with her, sort of. If it had been a piece the artist had drawn up themselves. I might agree more. But this was taken from the media itself. So I felt conflicted.
Taking Back My Skin
She and I drifted apart. I moved out with our once third. Who everyone who reads this blog knows as Sir. My life moved on and things changed. One morning, I looked at my arm. I loved what it meant. I loved what it represented. But I did not love it on me. I had changed so much since it happened. Using new pronouns and more confidence than ever. Also, the meaning was just no longer there for me. The promise set in ink, fulfilled. I knew it was time for a change.
Sir as part of our protocol has no issues with any changes I may to my body. We are both in agreement that those are my choices to make. He can have his opinions but it is my call 100%. Though we still talked about the tattoos, finding out we both happened to be in the same mindset. First, we looked into laser removal. When the cost was as much as a good cover-up would be. I knew I had my answer. So we both started searching, each in our own way. I knew I wanted to keep things local not having to travel too far.
Looking gave me time. Time to continue to think, but time to consider just what I was going to cover it up with. It was, after all, going to take up most of my forearm. Taking my time as I scrolled through all the artists Pittsburgh had to offer. It was during the holidays I found Sara Eve. Every time she posted a new cover up on her Instagram I marveled at it. I knew I had to have her as my artist for this. Reading about her shop PMA Tattoo I also knew that it was where I wanted to be. A female owned shop. A shop that respects sex workers. I was in love.
The shop itself is so small and lovely, plants lined the front windows with their neon sign lit brightly. When I went in it was just Sara and their newest artist. We talked about what I wanted, the whole time I felt myself smiling brightly. At the end of my consultation, I hugged Sara and knew it was the right place for me. So now in a few weeks, I start my first big step in this journey, actually getting the piece started.
The not so blank canvas
A Plan
My plan is to document this. I am certain to have some feelings during my first session. Thoughts that are going to pop up. For me, tattoos are a meditation. A chance to sit and think. Everyone including the one this is covering up has felt that way. So this won’t be the first post on this subject and the feelings it has brought up. After the first session, it will be interesting to see what goes through my mind.
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