When you think of Sedona, spirituality, red rocks and natural beauty come to mind–but a tattoo parlor?
After a long day of souvenir shopping and coffee breaks, the clouds just wouldn’t let go of the red rocks, and by the end of the day, the sky turned angry.
My friend Inge and I, drove back to our hotel room to rest for a while before dinner. I took a quick shower, placed my tired body on the queen size bed when the phone rang.
“Sonia, I found a tattoo parlor. Want to come with me?”
“Sure,” I said, more out of curiosity than anything else.
The streets were dark and wet, adding ambiance to a freaky night. I programmed the address on our GPS, which started barking commands and finally shut up, when Inge pulled up on a gravel driveway. No lights were on but tucked away in a corner, was a “Tattoo” sign and an arrow pointing to a back door.
“Think it’s open?” I asked.
“Let’s knock,” she said.
The door creaked open and a woman greeted us. Her warm smile made me relax, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her skin. Her arms, upper chest and back were covered in black and colored tattoos. A couple of guys heard us speak and came out from a kitchen next to the operating room with different sheets of tattoo patterns, covering the white walls.
“I’d like to get a tattoo with ‘love’ in Japanese characters,” Inge said.
“Show me what size you’d like and where,” the woman asked.
One of the guys pointed to his forearm which had the exact tattoo, she wanted.
After Inge settled on a stool, her skin disinfected, and the tattoo machine ready to start, I covered my eyes so as not to see her pain when the needles poked her upper right shoulder blade.
Inge remained calm. She said it didn’t hurt and that next time she wanted to get the ‘peace’ sign tattooed.
We stopped at “Safeway” on the way back to our hotel. Since rain pelted down, I ran inside to get some disinfectant cream for Inge, and a bottle of Chardonnay for us to share. I needed a glass of wine, probably more than Inge did, after watching her get the tattoo.
The following morning, Inge felt fine, the tattoo looked very black with its fresh ink, and we headed off to a small village with something I’d never seen before: furniture made out of rocks. The chairs were just as comfortable as a normal chair.
Have you ever had a tattoo? Do you want one? If yes, why? If no, why not?
Rock furniture – cool!
As for tattoos – not my thing at all, but a discreet tattoo looks OK on others.
Rock furniture sounds interesting. I collect furniture and am def intrigued!
Tats… I often joke that i’m going to get one but am too nervous about the pain. When last we joked about it, i told Hubby i was going to get a sumation sign as a symbol of my geek love. :p
No tattoos, no thank you. (I just can’t imagine anything or statement I’d want to live forever with on my body.) I hope your friend’s tattoo really said “Love.” I just read a story in Time about a guy who got a Chinese symbol he thought meant “bold.” Actually, it meant “rotten.” So, buyer beware. What an interesting trip! Pam
Great story! I need to do some research into getting a tattoo, since I have a character who gets one in my book. I’ve had a piercing done, but never a tattoo. It’s much too permanent for me.
Wow, I at first thought you were getting one! Did your friend come to that decision lightly, or was it something she had thought about for a long time?
No tattoos for me, but I wouldn’t mind that rock chair. You look mighty comfy!
Kimberly
http://kbkeilbach.blogspot.com
Most of my upper back is filled with various tattoos. I started in my 20s and actually had one filled in with new color last year.
I love ’em. Until one of my daughters gets one, that is.
@LadyFi
Imagine a living room filled with rock furniture
@Cairo Typ0
Inge promised her tattoo didn’t hurt. I gues it dependds where you get it.
@Pam
That’s hilarious. Poor guy to get a tattoo that says, “rotten” by mistake.
@Lady Glamis
Inge had wanted one for a while. I thought it would be great FUN to see her get it done. Good luck with your research. Are you going to get one and perhaps it’s TAX DEDUCTIBLE for research? HAHAHA!!!
@Kimberly
Yes, that chair was the best. Better than my couch.
@Fred
Are you against them for your daughter? Or are you just kidding?
I have 4 tattoos – one on my ankle, one on my shoulder and one on each arm. The one on my right arm is a peace sign. The other arm had a band of flowers around the upper part – the inner arm hurt a lot. I have a small conch shell on my right shoulder and a scuba diving flag with a shark on my left ankle. A lot of thought went into each one and I don’t regret any of them. In fact, it is very possible I may get more in the future.
I have seen a few tattoos that were really nice but I have no desire for one myself. I do think it will be interesting in a few decades to see so many elderly people walking about with tattoos they received in their youth!
I have no desire to get a tattoo — I'd rather get a face lift — Okay I'm lying. I don't want that either. When it comes to others, my motto is live and let live. I have seen some very nice tattoos and some really awful ones, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
You're having a fun trip, Sonia!
Miss Footloose, who's seen people in East Africa with earlobes stretched out to strings hanging down to their shoulders.
No tattoos for me!
My daughter, Jennifer, got one across her lower back.
Two stylized Snook, head-to-head.
She tried to hide it from me, but I knew!
Rock chairs? Never heard of this.
No I don't have any tattoos and I never plan on it. Too permanent.
What a fun "friend thing" if you did one together!!! I have a toe ring tat that my daughter´s best friend´s mom and I did together!! Her first…. my 2nd…
but now I am up to 6, and already have #7 planned!
Hard to pick my fave…. either my Danish flag on the back of my neck….my Texas on my foot….or the Swahili word "Majadi" (which means passion and drive for life) on my back… hmmm….
Rock chairs rock (I would think).
So, why didn't you get a tattoo, too?
I've thought about getting a Celtic one, but thinking is as far as I've got. Considering that the needle could be a health risk, and the ink is a health risk, and I'm fairly risk-adverse, I'm not sure about getting poked by some stranger.
But if I ever get a tattoo, I might write a risqué verse about it.
tattoos…I have two, one on upper back, an 'eye',
the other one on my arm, a tribal.
Had both about 15 yrs. No need for more, I'm still happy with those two! 🙂
Yes, I have 2 tattoos…
They really didn't hurt! I would like one more from here in Brazil…
I have one from the US and one from Venezuela…
I feel like I am starting a trend with getting a tattoo in the countries I live…
well, I haven't decided if I will get one here yet or not.
Mine are hidden so only if I want to "show" them can someone else see them. That is why I haven't gotten another one yet, I am puzzled where I would put it 🙂
BG
@Christina
That's 4 more than I have. I heard that inner arm is really painful
@Jungle Mom
Yes, I agree. There will be a geriatric tattoo group on FaceBook.
@Miss Footloose
A facelift would cost more, although a full body tattoo, might also run very expensive.
@GulfGal
How old was your daughter when she got them?
@MidWest,
That was also my first time in a rock chair.
@Kelli
How do you keep 6 toe rings on? Do you take them off every night?
@Rob-bear
I agree there are some health risks involved and a bear like you, doesn't need extra health issues.
@BLOGitse
Have they faded?
@Ballerina Girl
That would be fun to collect tattoos from different countries like bumper stickers.
I think tatoos are okay. I know several people that have them but I think working in our blue collared society that tatoos belong where they can be hidden at work.
That is my to cents.
No tattoos for me – I'm a scaredy-cat! And the rock chair reminds me of a dentist chair, so I'll pass on that, too. Sounds like an adventure, though.
I've always considered getting a tattoo. Haven't gotten the nerve yet. It's not the idea of pain that bothers me – it's the idea of the permanence.
Actually at one time, I had five tats, but several years ago I had them all removed. Back in those days they burned them off with a little thing that looked like a small arc welding device. Boy did it stink too. ~ jb///
'Have they faded?'
Yes little bit but still looking good! 🙂
I have an ink quill on my right underarn, just below the wrist. In time I will add the ink bottle.
i like the way you write things they are preety in a weird way why donto you go and see mine i wuold like that very much
thanks-
hailey
My husband and I both have tatoos with the other's name! We are branded for life together….