Tattoos No.2

Sparky, our second son, of whom we are most proud, also taught us about tattoos. Now Sparky decides to join the military during his senior year in college. Sparky comes in to tell us a couple of pieces of news. The first piece of news is that he is going into the military (Military Intelligence) and secondly before he goes in he is getting married. After I get off the floor and bring Brokerbelle back to consciousness with the smelling salts, we begin to plan for the wedding. So we hastily plan for the wedding with the Bride (a most pleasant young lady) and among other things plan for a reception for the wedding party (since it is summer) at the fabled swimming pool in our backyard.

Well, a few days before the pool party, it seems that Sparky needs to tell us something. So he and his intended come to visit us and tell us that she purchased a little gift for him for his birthday many moons ago. Guess what the gift was? You got it!! It was a tattoo. Well Brokerbelle and HarleyDad are used to quite a few things now so we begin to ask about the tattoo. Well it seems to be quite a large tattoo-all over his back. It is a large red dragon. We ask to look. And Behold! It is the largest Chinese dragon that you have ever seen.

It seems like swimming pools are the goblet of truth when it comes to tattoos. HarleyDad foolishly wonders how it is that someone to be in military intelligence might be able to hide their identity if they have a great big red dragon tattooed on their back. I mean, after all, isn't that a dead give away. Get the secret agent that has the giant red dragon on his back. However, HarleyDad is quickly made to understand that this is not an appropriate question to ask. Besides my security clearance is not high enough for an answer. They might have to kill me if they tell me. HarleyDad assumes that Sparky may be asked to infiltrate the Yakuza or some other oriental gang.

Fortunately, HarleyDad has a great love for oriental art, even if it is done on a person's back.

Brokerbelle and HarleyDad later enter into a long theological discussion regarding tattoos.

Brokerbelle points out that it is not what is on the outside of a person that counts but it is what is on the inside of a person that counts. For after all, did not Jesus tell the lawyers and Pharisees (Sometimes HarleyDad pretends that he is both) that they were like whitewashed tombs (no tattoos, I guess?) on the outside; but on the inside they were like rotten dead people. (Yikes, that is rough!) So HarleyDad and Brokerbelle, conclude that perhaps it is not what is written on the outside that counts, but whether there is a new cleansed person on the inside that makes the difference. Of course HarleyDad, who is not very theologically astute, gets all confused and things seem sometimes inside out.

Further Brokerbelle points out to HarleyDad that God writes (inscribes or tattoos) his law on our heart (the law that says That we are to love God and love each other). HarleyDad things he can follow this. But somehow, HarleyDad wonders whether someone might be implying that he has not been very loving lately to his children and their friends. HarleyDad decides not to say anything, but only nod his head and act like he understands.

Maybe all these tatoos, body piercings etc. are not as bad as Harley Dad first thinks. Perhaps, these tatoos are only skin deep after all, and don't have squat to do with the heart. Hmmm.

So as an act of repentance, HarleyDad decides to say three Harleys and One Our Harley and evidence his repentance by having a Biker-Harley tattoo saying contest, with the winning slogan being placed on HarleyDad's forearm in washable ink. (Ain't no doubt about it-HarleyDad has the heart of an animal (a chicken). But at least he knows when he is wrong, and has done thunk some bad thoughts about these tattoos so he is ready to make contrition.

Repentently,
HarleyDad