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February 1, 2003
Jeffrey Gives Me a Tattoo
One sunny afternoon, we were checking our
email at the Quiet Mon Pub on Saint John when we saw the redheaded
blur of someone dive in a side door, dump his backpack on
the bar, and bee-line for the bathroom. "Hey Jeffrey," the bartender said absentmindedly. When Jeffrey came back out, he walked right
up and put his face in mine. He was a whir of energy something
akin to the Tazmanian Devil.
"Wow lady! You're new around here.
You want a tattoo? I give tattoos. All kinds. You can pick
'em. Next time I see you. I work at Polly's. Come to Polly's.
It's up the hill and down this street. First turn left. Then
turn right. That's Polly's. I can give you a tattoo. That's
what I do. I give tattoos. Come by and I'll give you one."
In a flurry, Jeffrey had picked up his backpack and went off
in the direction of what I can only assume must be Polly's.
I expected that was the last we'd see him.
But the next day, we were at the Beach
Bar in the Wharfside Village of Cruz Bay, with Second Kiss and
Ripple enjoying a sunset happy hour. Jeffrey came buzzing in,
and right up to me again, practically knocking Curtis out of
his way. He wanted to give me a tattoo. Without even so much
as a greeting of "hello", he was fumbling around in
his pack for a tattoo for me to choose from. "See? Butterflies,
and moons, and flowers. You can pick whatever one you want."
I chose a half moon and teasingly asked if it would hurt. Jeffrey's
sincerity made me feel badly as he fawned over me with reassurances
that it wouldn't. He got out a spray bottle of water and as
he wet a napkin, he asked where I wanted the tattoo. He could
put it anywhere, "on your butt, or in your cleavage. I
can put it right there- on your thigh. I can put it wherever
you want." I demurely declined all of his proposed spots
and suggested we just stick with my shoulder. Disappointed,
but not deterred, he went about applying a temporary tattoo
on my shoulder… all the while saying, "See- it doesn't
hurt it all."
And so, Jeffrey had marked me with his tattoo.
In exchange for the service, we bought him a soda and he chatted
with us for awhile. He declared he was going to massage school
and he could give me a full body massage. Unfortunately…
to this, I also declined.
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