Covering oneself in ink seems to be the norm these days. As a child, I can remember my late Grandfather having a couple of blurred bluey things on his arms and I think those were tattoos. He’d server nearly 30 or so in the Army and had picked them up on his travels somewhere. In fact, thinking about it, I can only recall seeing tattoos on ex-servicemen in those days. Women certainly didn’t have them. The only other people I can remember having them were the gypsies who would sometimes make camp near the village and pop in to the local shops.
These days it seems almost compulsory to have the damned things. I don’t have a problem with them per se but what I don’t like is seeing people who are absolutely plastered in them. They must be for the benefit of themselves and those close to them. I say that because if I were to think “That man/woman has some interesting artwork on their skin,” and then go and stare at them, as if admiring a portrait in a gallery. I feel confident that I would get punched. Some people have them right up to and including their neck. I don’t understand, it just makes them look like they are permanently wearing a roll neck sweater.
I’m suspicious of all those Chinese characters too – I don’t mean the race, I’m referring to the text on peoples’ skin. I can’t trust my local Chinese takeaway to send the correct food order , so there is no way I’d trust them or anyone else to tattoo me with Chinese lettering. Oh, it says “Peace is my strength” does it? Yeah, right.
I guess things are different when you’re young and foolish and your skin is taut and unblemished. When these people get older and everything starts to wrinkle up and sag, they’re going to look like a bunch of kids paintings that have been left outside in the rain. Very attractive. Good luck with that.