Chris Adrian's tatoo
Inside, a young man, grumpy but not at all rude, was waiting. He was round and hairy and, appropriately, covered in tattoos. He asked me what I wanted for mine. I’d been thinking about this. The tattoo was supposed to remind me of what I tended to forget every day, to be less selfish, or less insular, to remember promises, to try to think less of my own largely imaginary suffering and devote some time and energy to considering the suffering of others. I thought of words to this effect, but words seemed too obvious, and too public; I didn’t want just anybody to read about my failings. A picture seemed like a better idea.
I thought of John Calvin, because even though I think he’s a secret softie for the beauty of creation and the potential of mankind even in a fallen state, he seemed like the sort of figure who could issue the kind of reminder I was seeking — with just his face. But then I imagined people at the beach telling me how much they liked my tattoo of Professor Dumbledore. Calvin? they would ask. Like Calvin and Hobbes?
Ultimately getting a tattoo of someone’s face seemed disrespectful and unnecessary. Any permanent mark would do. In the end I got … a dragon, something mildly sinister, something that said to me, Be good or I will bite you.
[NYT]
6 months ago