Big fat freaking BUST. I decided to get a half marathon related tattoo. I should say that I decided against the tattoo I posted in the last blog. . . at least I had decided against it. On Saturday. When I made my appointment for 5PM. I had decided on a different tattoo. I had recommendations for 2 people from 2 different friends. Rick, the first recommendation, and I chatted on FB. He's an apprentice but has been doing this for years and does good work but it's not his full time job. He told me 1-1.5 hours for my design. He did not answer the question though regarding if that was all needle time. lol. The other guy, Bert said it would take 15-20 mins. I knew that was needle time. Bert was cheaper. Bert was not an apprentice. Bert has a LOT of pics on his FB page and the work is good. Bert works full time at Screamin Demon Tattoo. I chose Bert. I couldn't call till noon on Sat. I was leaving the barn just after noon (I had to ride one more time before I couldn't stick my foot in a boot for a couple days!) and I called from the parking lot. He says to come at 5PM. Didn't take my name (which he knew from FB I guess), didn't take phone number. . . just "come at 5".
My husband is harvesting, but he wanted to quit a few hours early to come with me. I was pretty nervous. If for some reason he changed his mind, my mom would go. I had a few hours at home to sit and ponder this whole things. . . alone. I got nervous. I had a complete meltdown. I decided to drink a mudslide to chill out. I was sitting on the couch.. . . I got warm. . . it was 81 degrees in the house. I was hot. I texted my husband... . we agreed to turn the air on since it was going to be in the 80s for a couple days. . . I start crying. . . do I really want to do this? ha ha. I'm messaging a friend on FB and she talks me off the ledge. I don't know what my problem was. I think I worked myself up over the pain. When a friend posted her foot tattoo on FB and said it felt like "razor blades scraping my skin off" . . . well what would you think? Pain! I also have this fear of having another tattoo that I hate. I have a tattoo on my lower back and while I don't hate, I don't love it and no one really knows what it is. I hate explaining tattoos. I also asked way too many people their opinion on my design. So I was unsure what I wanted to do regarding that. . . I read too many forums about foot tattoos and pain. What if I couldn't handle it? Would I end up with half a tattoo? Lol.
So meltdown over. I'm happy again and my husband gets home. We leave . . . we stop at a gas station down the street from the tattoo shop cause I forgot anything to drink and I figure I might need that at some point. We go to the shop and it's this small rinky dink place. No real photos of anyone's work. There are 2 ladies waiting in the waiting area and a receptionist that really looks like she doesn't want to be there. She tells me I can sit down when I tell her who I'm there for. I see her post-it note schedule and I see "5PM work for Bert". In a few mins Bert comes to the waiting room and doesn't really acknowledge me. He speaks to one of the ladies waiting. . . Then he goes to the receptionist. I only really know it's Bert cause I know what he looks like based on stalking his FB page. I hear them chat. . . he then speaks to the woman. . . apparently both women want a tattoo (the same one I think) and he only has them down for 2. Bert and bitchy face receptionist chick talk some more. . . I hear them mention the 5:00. They call me to the desk. I see Bert talk to another artist who says "I don't have time". Bert tells me that John (I forgot his name, but let's go with John) is going to do me. He doesn't ask if this is ok. He just tells me. I'm like what? I mean don't you choose your artist based on their work? I don't see any photos around of anyone's work. I chose Bert cause I got a personal recommendation. . . cause I stalked his work on FB and I liked it. Bitchy receptionist hands me a clipboard with paperwork. I sit down and tell my husband I don't want anyone else to do this. Meanwhile John went back into one of the rooms and he's yelling to see my design. Bitchy receptionist tells me to go back and show him. 2 people follow behind me (his next appt I guess, I have no clue at this point). I show him. To say this guy is a prick would be an understatement. He's like "oh well I thought this was some complex design". No it wasn't. I wasn't getting a huge several hour long tattoo. I say I can reschedule with Bert. I think I say this at least twice. He's like "fine, reschedule". He may have said "I don't care". I don't know. The guy was an asshole. I go back to the waiting area, tell my husband we are leaving. I throw the clipboard on the reception desk. . . . I have no clue where that crabby chick went. We walk out. We left. I was in tears because I felt horrible for my husband quitting harvest hours early to come with me and now we have no tattoo. I cry because I cry for every emotion I have. I'm a crier. I'm pissed off. So I'm crying. I understand being late. . . tattoos can take longer than you planned. But those ladies (well at least one of them) were the 4:15 appt. And here's the thing. . . I will not be rushed. I told my husband that before we left. I didn't want to be rushed through the design process. I wanted to LOVE this tattoo. So let's say I waited for Bert. . . did he have anyone after me? Did he have plans after work? I don't want to be rushed. And I certainly wasn't letting jackass John do it when he said he didn't have time! So in 5 years I can look at my foot and say "well this would have been cool if he had had more time". No thank you. No way. And if I didn't want Bert to tattoo me I'd have walked into any shop and taken the next available person! I chose the artist for a reason dammit! And I made a freaking appointment!!! (but I did have this feeling . . . this whole come at 5 bullshit wasn't going to work out) Bert did send me a FB message minutes after I left. But let's be honest, he barely spoke to me while I was there, so the content isn't even worth mentioning. He isn't any better than asshole John in my opinion at the moment.
So there you have it. Total BUST and I have a naked foot.
