My Misspelled Tattoo

When you are 18 you are going to fuck up. You are going to make mistakes, and I am not an exception to this rule. This is the story of how I got a misspelled tattoo on my shoulder that still resides there today. When I was a senior in high school I was stubborn and naughty, and my mom and dad handled me with grace. They were patient.  One night after track practice  my friend Sadie and I decided we wanted tattoos, and we wanted them that night. (unfortunately patience is not one of my virtues). I told my parents, and gave little regard to the advice they had given. Which was this "you should probably go to a tattoo place that requires an appointment, and is well established". They never flat out said "Libby, you're a dumbass don't get a tattoo tonight", they were more tactful than that, but I'm sure they wanted to scream those very words (which is COMPLETLEY justified). Instead Sadie and I headed to the only place in town that would take our last minute tattoo request (RED FLAG). I was first. I wanted a blue bird with the quote "She belongs among the wild flowers". I was excited and nervous as I sat in the chair. The man briefly flashed up the design to me and Sadie. We both looked at it, then back at each other and said "wow! that looks perfect!" we didn't bother spell checking his work. This is one of those you fucked up moments. I remember so vividly sitting in the chair while he worked on my shoulder. I was nervous, so naturally I got sweaty. When I'm nervous I don't sweat out of my armpits. I sweat out of my ass, SWASS, if you will. I remember looking down at my butt sweat that was now visible to everyone in the room, but I didn't care. I was so excited for this tattoo I was getting with my friend. When he finished I thought it looked great, it wasn't until one of our friends who had tagged along got my attention that I realized what had happened. This friend pulled me over ever so gently and said, "Hey Libs, I think there's a typo in your tattoo" . My heart sank. What? Where? I looked in the mirror and read my quote back again "SHE BLONGS AMONG THE WILD FLOWERS" he misspelled belongs. I began sobbing uncontrollably, and promptly hopped back in the chair and begged him to fix it. He seemed unfazed, like the fact I had a word misspelled on my body, permanently, was a stupid thing to yell at him for. He did try to fix it, but it made it worse. He tried to squeeze the E in the BELONGS, but now it looked like BDONGS. I was livid. The man who tattooed me however was offended that I was angry and offered no refunds. This was a wakeup call to 18 year old Libby. This man who tattooed me was the perfect representation of how life can be sometimes. Like life, he didn't care I was upset and he didn't miss a beat about going on with his business. The worse part is that it truly was my fault, I was the dumbass who didn't spell check something that I knew was going to go on my body permanently. I left that tattoo shop realizing I made a mistake. When I told my parents they didn't laugh, or remind me that they had warned me. They aren't those kind of people. They knew I was already paying the price. I thought about getting it covered up, and maybe one day I will. But it is such a hilarious thing to look back on, and an amazing ice breaker. It is not always easy to laugh at yourself but if you are anything like me, you don't have much of a choice. My tattoo has made me and my friends laugh to the point of tears. I also use this story when I am making friends with a tough crowd. On a spring break trip to the Virgin Islands, my friend Olivia and I went to a beach bar, where I told this story. Everyone was laughing. The bar tender found it particularly hilarious, and we got free drinks and invited on a boat ride the next day. People warm up to me when I tell them about my tattoo because it's funny, and because its easy to talk to someone who doesn't portray themselves as perfect. If I could go back and change the misspelling of my tattoo on my shoulder, I WOULD. But you don't always get to take back mistakes in life, and that's ok. You live and you learn. I don't belong among the wild flowers, I BDONG among the wildflowers.
-Libby