There was a guy one of my tattooist used to regularly tattoo. It turned out his client was not getting inked, but just getting tattoos for the sensation they gave him.
“Is he just a masochist,” I asked, having immediately decided it must be true.
“Not really,” said the Brain, as his typo’d business card proclaimed. “He doesn’t much care for pain. I think he is actively trying to avoid pain.”
“Explain,” I asked, befuddled, wincing as he hit the nerve bundle near my armpit. “Do you not use needles either?”
The Brain frowned. “Of course I use needles. He’s getting a tattoo.” He held my bicep firm to prevent me from flinching and messing up his linework.
“So… why no ink?” I said, taking a drag on my cigarette, for this was back when you could smoke while getting a tattoo.
“He doesn’t want it to stick around more than scar tissue.”
“So… Why get one at all if he doesn’t like ink?”
“He says it makes his pain go away” said the Brain.
“Riiiight,” was my incredulous response. “Oh-kay.”
The Brain shrugged. “His business, I just follow his direction.”
Welcome to masochism world, I thought to myself. Definitely a masochist.
It is years later, arthritis and old injuries later. The Brain’s client was right. Pain washes the pain away.
It’s too expensive and no one will agree to doing tattoos without ink anymore, however. They just nod and you can see it in their eyes: Welcome to masochism world.
