Ink....

Brother of Jackal's new ink....
A little closer....

"Ruth"

Brother of Jackal headed on down to Area 51 a couple of days ago and let Ian go to town on his right leg. I think it turned out pretty cool. A lot cooler than the heart with "Ruth" in it on the dumbass's shoulder in the third picture. Every time Adam gets new ink, he and Ian laugh behind the dumbass's back about the "Ruth" tattoo. Tattoo artists do that, I think. Oh well.... Whatever keeps them smiling.

Yeah, I'm the "dumbass" in the 3rd pic. Let's see.... It was 1972 and I was 18 years old and sitting in the bus station in Kansas City. I was on my way home to Iowa from Basic Training at Ft. Leonard Wood and I was bored out of my mind with a 4 hour layover. (I "may" have been drinking some beer, but that isn't important to this story.) I was a young G.I. full of piss and vinegar and I wanted a freakin' badass tattoo.

I walked out of the bus station and what do you suppose I saw on the next corner of the same block? You guessed it. A tattoo parlor. The guy inside was a pretty cool "longhair" and we hit it off right away. (I had been a "pretty cool longhair" myself just a couple of months prior....) He showed me what he had in his book as far as designs but I couldn't make up my mind. I loved the skull with the snake crawling out of the eye sockets and the dagger sticking into the top of it. The ribbon that was wrapped around it with the message "Death Before Dishonor" was also pretty damned attractive to me, but I figured that at 5 foot 8 and 125 pounds someone would kick my ass if I got that one. ( I ended up growing 2 inches taller and gained a little weight.... I would have been fine. My hindsight is perfect)

Anyway, I digress. I told him I wanted a heart with " Ruth" written in it. He said "are you crazy? " I said "no". He asked how I would feel about it if Ruth and I broke up? I said we wouldn't, we're engaged. He tried to talk me out of it but I wanted it so he did it. I was so proud of it that I couldn't wait to get home and show my dad. Oh yeah. I remember the look on dad's face when I got off of the bus and pulled the sleeve of my khakis up and showed it to him.

Whoaaaaaaaaaaa.......

He recovered quickly and asked what I was going to do if Ruth and I broke up. I said "geez, dad, we're going to get married. We won't break up" Uh huh. We'd been "together" since I was in 9th grade and she was in 8th. Inseperable. Whatever. We would be "together forever", or so the saying goes. Anyway, I wish I'd have gotten the cute little devil with the pitchfork and the diaper.

We broke up about 3 months later, shortly after I'd gone overseas..... In the end, I got the better end of the deal by a long shot. The only wife that I've ever had is the one I have now. It'll be35 years in June. Ruth? Well, she married a "friend" of mine and moved to Washington to raise sheep. They had one child and later divorced. She changed her name to Nikki and moved to Florida with her girlfriend. (I don't have any problem with that ;)) Yup. I got the better deal in that one.

Anyway, I think I'm going to go down to Area 51 and have Ian do something to cover "Ruth" up. I told Judy that I think it'll probably be a pinup girl in black leather and a smile or something like that. She smiled and said "fine". She's awesome, eh?

When Ian asks if I've learned anything from this I'll be honest. I'll tell him "probably not"

Little Jake is having surgery today to extend his jaw. It was supposed to last about 10 hours. (it's been 11 now) I just had an email from our Nikki (not to be confused with the "other Nikki"). She said they aren't done yet but that Jake is doing fine in surgery. He's the man! More on that later.

There is an interesting debate going on over at Jackal's blog on his post titled "they know". Surf on over and check it out.... It's almost as good as last year's "Angel Wings", if you remember that Cannondale ad that stirred up so much controversy.... I thought it was a GREAT ad, myself. ;)

That's about it for now.

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!