... I've noticed that the new boy (funny how when you hit your forties, young people just seem SO young), at the local grocery store branch of my bank has a teardrop tattoo on the webbing of his hand ... something I notice every time he hands me my rolls of quarters so I can do the laundry every ten days or so.
And in my ongoing desensitization to violence, my first thought is that, "Meh ... doesn't impress me much ... just being one. I'll *really* be scared when you got multiple drops to represent your multiple killings."
Of course, I'm still smart enough to know that such thoughts need to be reserved for my inner dialogue (or should that be inner monologue?), and I'm not using his body art as an ice-breaker to start a conversation. I just say "thanks" and leave and then get all Judgey McJudgerton on the walk home (exhibit a: *this* post!).
I'm also certainly not knocking tattoos ... I have five (with plans for three more ... one for each semester of law school I survived [I was in the night program, hence the extra time]) AND I have a family member who inks for a living. In my opinion, though, it's just all about placement ... for instance, mine only come out to play in wife-beater-worthy situations (although, let's face it, I do often try to push the limits as to what qualifies for that classification). Points to thug-life-banker-boy for at least having the foresight to teardrop his hand instead of his face (and even more points if the real truth here is that he's escaped thug life ... and then shame on me for even bringing all this up).
Bottom line ... I shouldn't have to wonder if he'd rather be handing me my rolls of quarters ... in a sock ... prison beatdown style ... every time I do my laundry! (Admittedly, I *do* have a twisted imagination, which isn't necessarily his fault ....)
A "LIBRARY" OF PRISON TATTOOS:
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/photogallery/prison-tattoo-field-guide.html?curPhoto=1
A SECOND OPINION AS TO WHAT THEY MEAN:
http://imgur.com/gallery/E5xZu
ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE, SOME DO HELP GANG MEMBERS ESCAPE THE LIFE:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/garcia/17382901-452/suburban-counselor-helps-kids-escape-gangs.html
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