10 Jun 2008
Final Exam
The other night, my sister Parisa called me on her way home from class. "Tonight I found out our teacher gave us a take home test last week on the day I left early. So I didn't have it done."
I wondered if she wanted me to commiserate with her as a friend or flog her as a parent. I settled for something in between. "Can you turn it in later?"
"She told me I could turn it in at the final next week. Except I freaked out, because I had no idea we had a final."
I grinned. She always sounded so cavalier about her schoolwork. Really, she's a great student. You don't get into grad school by fooling around, and she's in a special publishing program to boot. "Is that going to be a problem?"
"Nope," she replied blithely. "The final is watching this guy in my class get a tattoo."
"Wait a second." I frowned, sure I heard wrong. "I thought you said your final is watching a classmate get a tattoo."
"Yeah. Remember the book I told you we're publishing? The collection of nonfiction essays that this tattoo artist wrote about his parlor and clients?"
"Of course." One of the stories from the collection still haunted me—the one about a guy who went in asking to get a banner with a woman's name, social security number, and a date tattooed on his chest. It wasn't until the guy turned around to put his shirt back on that the tattoo artist noticed the guy's back, which was completely covered in banners. And all of them had dates and different women's names and social security numbers. Creepy.
"Well, one of the guys in the program decided to get a tattoo from that artist and we're all going to watch."
"That's your final?" My voice reeked with incredulity.
"Yeah." She laughed. "I love grad school."
Comments...
Karen says...
... Well, I suppose for squeemish people, that'd be KIND of a final maybe o_O .... XD My friend AJ would fail it though. He'd pass out in two seconds.
Jen says...
I think the test will be staying awake. There's nothing more boring than watching someone get a tattoo.
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Alicia Tags says...
Yeah, watching someone else get a tattoo can be boring. It's not easy to come by a tattoo artist that you can trust, especially when they're doing work you can't see. Which is why the two tattoos I have are in plain sight. lol.One on each forearm.
Parisa says...
Yeah, I've already seen a tattoo get done. I think the real reason we're getting together is to hang out in the shop where all the creepy/funny/strange stuff happened in the stories we edited. Plus I need to turn in my take home exam.
Kate says...
I wanted to describe the stories--like the one where the guy in the gang came to get a tattoo and the artist freaked out so badly (because the guy and his fellow gang people were plotting to take someone out) that he made a typo on the guy's tattoo. LOL. Parisa, you'll have to get me a copy of that book.
Alicia Tags says...
lol That is humorous, about the typo. I would have been scared to death. That sounds like an awesome class!
Parisa says...
I know! He's got great stories. The book is really good. I'll make sure and get you a copy when it comes out.
Kate says...
Alicia, I believe at the end of the story, the tattoo artist locked the door and hid in the backroom for a few hours until hours until he felt the coast was clear.
Alicia Tags says...
lol. My goodness. I don't think I would have felt safe enough. Why would I think this rough and tumble person would let a simple lock keep him out if he really wanted to get to me?? I would have R-U-N. lol. I don't know Kung Fu like you, so I'd find any other means necessary to run like there was no tomorrow lol
Parisa says...
Yeah, and they actually came back a few minutes after they left, idled outside the shop for a few minutes (supposedly to bust a cap in his ass) and then left when it looked like there was no one in the shop. The next day on the news there was a report of a gang war (same guys from the shop)with several people dead .
Alicia Tags says...
My goodness! See, it boggles my mind the fate of some things. It's kind of like, "If I'd been there at that exact time, that could have been me." Violence is a sad reality in this world and it does no good to wish it weren't.