When I received a text message from Striker showing me a picture of his new tattoo, I knew he wasn’t the only one with fresh ink. Although I couldn’t totally make out the image, it appeared to be an animal of some kind. “I think he got a tattoo of a cougar. Awkward,” I told Sleepless. As I continued to contemplate his graphic selection, I wondered what MiniMe might select to have imprinted on her skin. Should I be concerned if she got a tattoo of a cougar with the word, ‘Mom’ underneath it? Probably.
Turns out, MiniMe did not get this tattoo. I’m not sure how I feel about this. In many ways, it reminds me of the time she told me, “I drank in Ireland and loved the whiskey.” After this confession, she asked, “Are you disappointed I drank or that I love whiskey?” By the look on my face, she immediately knew I was disappointed in her liquor selection.
As I was driving MiniMe and Striker from the airport, I had to stop abruptly. Like a good mother, I extended my arm across her chest to protect her, then said, “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m sure your pretty sensitive right now due to the fresh ink.” “I don’t have a tattoo there,” she replied. Striker piped in, “Don’t hit her on the back.” “Please tell me you didn’t get a tramp stamp,” I said. “I didn’t get a tramp stamp,” she confirmed, then moved her hair to reveal a tattoo between her shoulder blades that read, “Be Observant.” “You got a hump bump!” I told her. “A what?” she asked. “A tattoo on your back that isn’t low enough to be a tramp stamp. Please, be observant of the details.”