In November 1997 I went to a concert at the Royal Oak Brewery in Royal Oak, Mich.
It was a fundraiser for a women's shelter, and during the night they raffled off
prizes. They announced that Royal Oak Tattoo was offering a $50 gift certificate
as a prize. I announced to the friend I was with that I would win it.
So, that night, gift certificate in hand (yes of course I won it, what did you think?), I went home and started trying to figure out what I wanted. Very quickly, months flew by. That happens frequently to me, but that's another story.
Resolved to get it before I got too old and forgot what a tattoo was, I walked into Royal Oak Tattoo early in September '98, met with Ed who's a great guy (and a folk music fan, which makes him even better in my book), and started looking at wolf pictures in the flash books. Ed brought over a coffee-table photo book of wolves, and I started from the back (of course, don't you?) looking at the pictures there. At the front of the book was THE ONE. I took it over to him, he nodded... we decided to fill in what a tree was hiding of the wolf's head and flip the picture so it would look forward from my right shoulder. I made the appointment for September 18.
Ed really got into it. Halfway through he told me he was now tattooing a picture of a wolf-dog he owned for years. That felt really special. I'm really happy to have the tattoo. I'd say proud, but.... well, yeah, proud too.
Yes, it hurt, and no it didn't hurt much, in case you're wondering.
And the wolf's name is Guardian, in case you're wondering that.
Of course I want more tattoos. Right after I decided I wanted a wolf for my first one, I had three more ideas of tattoos. Good thing I'm a big puppy, so I have room to put them.
If you're from around Detroit, or even if you want to travel here, and you want a tattoo, go to Royal Oak Tattoo -- I can't say enough nice things about them. And ask for Ed, especially if your interest is in critters.