BONDING

Bonding.

No, not bondage, you sicko!! Bonding...something so easy to accomplish, but yet, so hard to find time to do. This past Saturday, Becky, my brother (Andy) and I made the time for some Grade A bonding.

We started with some golf at Par 3 (where I shot a 72 to follow up my impressive 69 a few day before.) After we finished golfing, we ate some lunch and tried to figure out what we were going to do in the afternoon.

"We could go bowling." I suggested, even though I've only been bowling once in the past year...or two. The idea was quickly shot down. I pleaded for any other suggestions, when Andy finally spoke up.

"Let's go get tattoos!!" I slumped in the chair, knowing that wasn't going to happen, when something strange occurred...Becky said she was in.

I shook my head in definance. No way was I going to go to a tattoo place, or get myself poked a thousand times by a needle. No thanks. But they were persistant. Andy really wanted a tattoo with his youngest child's initial (as he has the rest of the kid's already) and Becky said she had wanted one for a long time.

I agreed to go, but not to get the ink. They smiled and bounced out the door as I drug myself from the chair to join them.

We went to three different places before ending up back at the first place we visited. Becky was up first. She chose the Japanese Kanji symbol for "peace" to go square on the top of her wrist, with some tribal bands coming from each side around her wrist, like a bracelet. The prep took a half hour, but the tat was inked out in about 10 minutes.

I have to admit, it looks pretty darn cool. I wouldn't have chosen the wrist to put it, but whatever. Andy was next. He picked his poison, a large tribal looking tattoo to go above his previous one on his right arm...a "C" in the middle. For those of you not in the know, his son's name is Chandler. Before the art began, the tattoo guy had to run a quick errand.

While we waited, Becky and Andy began the attack.

"Come on, Tony, you know you need to get one!!"
"Yeah, mine didn't hurt at all, you wuss!!"

I did see an appealing image, a shamrock with the green, white and orange of Ireland's flag in the center that I considered getting...their encouragment convinved me. I had one reservation. The price. I told them, if he wouldn't do it for $xxx, then I was out. Thinking there was no way he would go so low, I thought I would be spared.

I was in.

The tattoo artist returned, and I asked him quickly how much the shamrock would cost, hoping to go ahead and crush the promise I made to Andy and Becky.

Wouldn't you know it...without me reveiling my price, he named it. I couldn't back out now.

Andy was ready for his ink, but the guy announced he had to leave on some family emergency. He promised to knock $25 off the already cheap tattoo if Andy would return the next day. Andy, of course agreed.

Too bad I had promised to play golf with Dad and the guys Sunday...looks like I was saved at the zero hour!! Andy and Becky tried to get me to cancel, but I couldn't...or wouldn't.

They returned Sunday and Andy got his tat. They told the guy I would be back in to get mine, and I really think I will follow through. I don't think I could break the promise I made to them, in our moment of bonding. I'll update you, and let you know...maybe I will get some pictures up here, too.