Ink Me

by Richard Scrimger

  And do you still want to get the tatoo? she ast.

  Uh huh.

  You dont have to she said. Just cuz Grampa ast you to do sum thing you dont have to do it. He was my dad but I dint always do what he wantd. If he ast me to get a tatoo Id say no. Tatoos r ugly Bunny. Ugly and stupid.

  She stoppd and the word hung in the air for a bit. Like a fart you no? Stupid. I new Mom was wishing she dint say it. Stupid was what I was.

  I wonderd did Grampa think tatoos were stupid? Was that why he wantd me to get 1? I dint think so. This wasnt about stupid. It was sum thing els.

  I want to go tomoro I said.

  She side.

  Wate a few days she said. Wate and see if you still feel this way. Good nite now. And she left me alone in the dark.

  12 Street.

  13 Street.

  14 Street.

  It was a few days later—Friday afternoon. I dint change my mind. I was sitting on the streetcar going along Lakeshore. I was on my way to Kilroy Tatoo. The streets we past were numbers and that made it easy for me. Kilroy Tatoo was at Lakeshore and 20 Street. All I had to do was count.

  17 Street.

  18 Street.

  Mom was at skool. Its her job. Shes a prof. Prof O’Toole. Spencer xplaned what shes a prof of but I dint reely get it. Sum thing about how we no things—how we no what we no. I dint here the word Spencer used. You meen like flossing? I said and he laffd.

  Thats a good 1 Bun man. Yah Mom teeches flossing.

  So anyway she was at skool being a prof and Spencer and Dad were on there way to Buffalo to find his old lady and I was on the streetcar counting to 20. I was alone. Mom ast if I wantd her to go with me but I said no. I dint want her calling evry 1 with a tatoo stupid. Besides this was my task and Grampa wud want me to do it alone. If DJ cud go to Africa on his own I cud find a tatoo place.

  Xept I cudnt. I got off the streetcar at 20 Street and lookd around but there was no Kilroy. I saw a junk store and a restront with a sine that blinkd BUD BUD BUD and a dollar store and a place with weel chairs in the windo and a fite but no Kilroy.

  It wasnt a reel fite. A fat bully kind of kid was pushing a skinny 1. The big kid had teeth and a shiny haircut and was pushing so hard the skinny 1 fell down and wen he got up the fat kid pushd him agane. Push and push. And he was saying a word.

  I dint like it. Big aganest littl isnt fair. I dint like the word ether.

  It was getting dark and there was wind. I shiverd in my short sleevs. The skinny kid fell down. The big 1 said the word agane. I went over and told him to stop it. Hes littlr than you I said.

  The big 1 turnd. And who r you? he ast.

  Bunny I said.

  The other kid got up and brushd off his pants. He was crickety with long skinny legs and arms and kind of bug eyes. He dint run away. He wasnt scared.

  The big kid tryd to push me. I cot his hand in mine and held on and wen he tryd to pull his hand away I dint let him.

  No I said.

  His leg went back and he tryd to kick me. I saw his foot come at me and dint think what to do I just did it. I grabbd his foot and liftd the way I used to do wen Spencer and me were fiting. I still had the big kids hand so I liftd him off the ground and spun him round hanging on to his arm and leg. He wasnt laffing like Spencer tho—he was kicking with his other leg. I tossd him away from me. He went like that in the air and landed on top of a trash can and stayd there.

  The other kid said holy crap.

  There was a tatoo place across the street. Not Kilroy a differnt 1. I wonderd if theyd no about Kilroy so I crossd and gess what? It was the rite place after all. Kilroy retired and now the place was calld Ink Tank. Thats what the guy at the desk said. Grate I said. I told him who I was and he said sure sure. He had my name and evrything.

  Down the hall and on your left he said.

  SHE HAD THE NEEDL

  IN HER HAND like a pen and amed it at my arm. Reddy? she said and there it was. Sharp and fast like litening. I cud feel it going up my arm to my brane.

  O I said.

  Did that hurt?

  I memberd Grampas letter. I no you can take the pane Bernard.

  Im OK I said.

  Her name was Roxy. She was bald and short like a dorf. She wore an undershirt and shorts to show her tatoos. She had riting all over her sholders arms legs and neck. There was even riting across her bald head. I dint want to stare so I dint reed the riting. It lookd cool but kind of gros 2.

  Wen I came into the room she was picking papers off the floor. She threw them on a table and yond. She held up the top peace of paper. It had a 15 on it.

  This is you rite? she said.

  Huh?

  Your ink. Your tatoo. What you want on your arm.

  I said I dint no.

  R you 15? she ast.

  Yah.

  That was what Grampa said in the letter. Your getting older now Bernard.

  My birthday was last month I said.

  OK whatever. Your 15 said Roxy. She put the paper on my arm and wet it and took away the paper and there was the drawing on my arm. There was a 15 and a candl like for a cake. Ill put it down here so you can see it. Like this. See?

  Cool! I said.

  You like that? You want it in ink?

  Yah ink me I said.

  Roxy yond. What a day she said. 3 jobs alreddy and an other after yours and Im tired as deth. I dint get any sleep last nite.

  She got her needl.

  Stay still she said.

  I dint think about the pane. I sat in the chair and thot about Roxy working. She followd the marks on my arm stopping to wipe away the blud. Wen she yond I cud see the back of her mouth. Ew. I thot about what kids wud say about my tatoo at skool. Wen I saw Eds arrow tatoo I went Wow. I dint have a best frend or anything but mayb sum 1 wud say Wow wen they saw my 15. Spencer wud say sum thing. Way to go Bunster or sum thing. Spencers OK.

  Stay still said Roxy.

  I countd holes. There were 17 of them on my rite hand wall and 9 on my left hand wall. Holes like from a hammer. I countd them agane. 9 and 17.

  Roxy stood back and yond sum more.

  Your dun she said. What do you think?

  She held up a meer and there was the tatoo. It lookd rong—like a 21. But that was the meer. It was a 15 all rite.

  Wow I said.

  There was a bit of blud. Roxy wiped it and put on a big band ade. She used tape to hold it on.

  Thanks I said and she smiled. She had a lip tatoo and wen she smiled I cud see it. LOVE. Wen she stoppd smiling the letters went away.

  I hurt. Not litening bolts but it was there. Pane. Roxy told me to by sum goop to rub on the tatoo or els sum thing bad wud happen. She told me the kind to get. Put it on 2 times a day for a week she said. I said OK.

  The guy outside in the hall was taking off his button shirt. I dint see his face but he had a nife tatoo on his rite sholder.

  2 men sat in the wating room talking about me. I cud tell cuz wen they saw me they stoppd. Older men like 30 or 50. 1 of them had a vest and long hair. You the 1? he said.

  What 1? I said.

  You hurt that Angel across the rode. Dint you? The Angel hassling Jaden?

  Uh I said.

  Yah your the 1. I saw. But you not 15 r you? You 15?

  He was frowning.

  Yah Im 15 I said.

  Huh! You dont look like it he said.

  I get that all the time. Im big but I dont look very old.

  But its cool he said. You keep on hurting those Angels. Who they think they r anyway?

  Uh huh I said. I was playing with the band ade—pulling at the tape and lifting it up so I cud look at the tatoo. Then sticking it back down agane. I lookd up and he was staring at my arm. My tatoo. The other man was peeking 2. He had thick glasses.

  This kid a brother? he said.

  Shut up TJ said the long hair 1.

  He dont look it is all.

  Shut up TJ. Hes with the possy. You see the ink?

  I dint no
what they were talking about.

  It was a yucky gray day but I felt like walking. I countd the blocks back words. 20. 19. 18. I peeld back my band ade and there it was. My tatoo. I cud feel it with my hart going. Bump bump bump. Arm arm arm.

  I wantd Spencer to see my tatoo. I peeld away the band ade and held out my phone and twistd my arm round and took a pick sure. Not bad. You cud see the 15 and candl sort of. I sent the pick sure to him.

  I thot I did it. All the cuzzens with all the tasks and I did mine befor any 1 els. Im the winner. I checkd my tatoo agane. Did I feel Grampa with me? No. The tatoo was mine not his. He wasnt 15. I was.

  Arm arm arm.

  I came to a drug store and that reminded me I had to get the goop to rub on my tatoo. A lady showd me the rite kind. She wantd to see the tatoo but wen I showd her she stoppd smiling.

  Whats rong? I said.

  She dint say anything just backd away covering her mouth.

  Weerd.

  Poring rain wen I got outside. Poring like a flud. Peepl stood under the overhang watching the rain splosh and grrgle wating for it to slow down.

  I checkd my phone. Nothing from Spencer. I sent him a text—did u look yet? tel me. Then I had to look agane myself so I pulld off the band ade.

  Not bad.

  A kid was watching.

  Hey! he said to me. He new me and I new him. He was the skinny kid from outside the tatoo place. The 1 getting pushd round.

  He stared at the tatoo then at me.

  Now I no he said.

  What? I said.

  Why you hurt that Angel. Your 15 arnt you?

  Evry 1 wantd to no how old I was. Yah I said. I put the band ade back down. It dint stick very well any more.

  He held up a fist and changed it to a hand wide open. Like a bom xploding.

  What? I said.

  He did it agane. Fist—hand open.

  I nodded and did the same thing back to him.

  He nodded 2.

  How old r you? I ast.

  14 he said. But I bin in the possy forever. Cobras my brother so they let me in erly. I no the sines. Look here.

  He pulld down a wet sock to show me a tatoo.

  Gess what it was.

  Hey its like mine I said. Xept for the candl.

  You dont look 15 he said. And I never seen you befor. But you got the ink and you no the sines.

  I never seen you ether I said.

  So ware you bin? How come I dont no you.

  I live away from here I said.

  Away? O yah—away. I get it he said. I no lots a guys who had to go away. How long were you away?

  How long?

  Your talking about jale rite? Cors you r. Thats why I dont no you. You bin away. How much time you do?

  I dint no what he ment so I smiled and he smiled back. He came up to my chin or a littl past it. His hair was thick and curly. Im Jaden he said. What do they call you?

  I told him.

  O yah what you told the Angel he said. Thats funny. Thats cool. Bunny.

  He put out his hand and I thot we were going to shake but he leend close and grabbd me near the elbow. So I did the same thing to him. My hand went all the way around his arm like I was holding a hocky stick.

  Your differnt he said.

  I no.

  Does it bug you? Being—

  Dum? Im used to it.

  I meen your white.

  Well Im used to that 2 I said.

  We were still holding on to each others arms. He was black—not black black but pretty black. You no what I meen.

  Does Scratch give you a hard time about it? he said. Or Jello? I gess they leev you alone cuz of the candl.

  He pointd at my tatoo.

  I no what the candl meens he said. I respect you Bunny. You did what you had to for 15. Like you did with that Angel today. You threw him away like trash. That was aw sum. Man that was proper. Sum seeryus you no?

  He let go of my arm then.

  I respect you 2 I said.

  I dint no what he was talking about with his jale and candl. I dint no Scratch and Jello were guys names then. But I new Jadens smile was reel and it was for me.

  Im going to the jim on 15 he said. You want to come and hang out?

  With you?

  Yah. Im part of the possy he said. Dont be shamed of me. Cobra trusts me. I no stuff he said.

  Im not shamed I said. I like you.

  Thing was I wasnt used to going around with any 1. I was used to being alone.

  Itd be cool to hang out at the jim I said. But I cant rite now. I need to check in with my mom.

  He nodded a cupl times.

  Mom. Rite. Your talking about your prole offiser rite? I forgot you just got out of jale. My brother used to call his PO Mom too.

  Mayb Ill come to the jim later I said.

  His face britend—it reely did.

  Ill look for you he said. Morgan runs the place. You no him rite?

  Uh I said.

  Well anyway its on 15 Street beside the king pizza place.

  OK I said.

  A streetcar was slowing down in front of the drug store. Water splashing off the tracks. Doors opend and peepl hurryd off and on.

  Well—by I said. By Jaden.

  By Bunny.

  I ran thru the rain.

  AT DINNER

  IT WAS JUST ME AND MOM. I showd her my tatoo wen I got home and she said O deer and lookd away fast. I put back the band ade. She kept looking at my arm and then looking away. I new she hated the tatoo so I put on a long shirt for dinner. The blud was gone but it still hurt even with the stuff on it. Arm arm.

  We ate in front of the TV sins it was just the 2 of us. It was Dads stew from last nite. I had 4 carrots and 2 chickn chunks and 4 potatos. Mom hates cartoons and sports so we watchd an old guy talk to an other old guy across a table. I ate the carrots and potatos first and countd my chews. 20 and a swallow. I do that sum times. 20 more and an other swallow.

  I told Mom about Jaden. Were frends even tho were differnt I said.

  She said that was grate. Evry 1 is differnt she said. Now shhh.

  The old guys on TV were fiting about sum thing. Your rong said 1. No your rong said the other.

  They both had gray hair and shirts and tys and glasses. They were the same. They even shook there heads at the same time.

  Last bite. 17 18 19 20. Swallow. I was dun. I ast if I cud go out. Mom dint anser. I ast agane. Its Friday and theres no skool I said.

  Mom turnd. You want to go out? Ware?

  My frends jim. He ast me. I no ware it is. Its 1 streetcar. Pleas mom.

  You have your phone rite? And you no the rules—home by 9.

  Yes.

  OK then.

  She turnd back to the TV.

  Grate! Thanks Mom. Im on my way.

  Mom said shhh.

  The streetcar stoppd rite at 15 Street. I walkd past places that fixd cars and places that sold candy and places that I dont no what they did and places that dint do anything cuz of the bords in the windo. I saw guys smoking and moms pushing babys. Evrything smelld good after the rain. Even the smoke. Peepl stared at me out of the side of there eyes.

  The jim was easy to find—big brick bilding with no windos. No door ether and I was staring at it and wondering how to get in wen I herd my name. Jaden came out of the pizza place next door with 2 slices in his hand.

  I was wating for you he said witch made me feel good. He took me round the back. The wall beside the door had my tatoo on it. 15 with stripes. Weerd eh—a wall with my tatoo.

  What was Grampa thinking?

  We went into a hall with a bare lite bulb and a smell that was not as nice as the after the rain smell. Pretty bad reely. Down the hall was a wide open room with brite lites. There was a boxing ring and wates and a punching bag off to the side. And a guy who came over and said Who the hell is this?

  Jaden said Hi Morgan this is Bunny. Bunny this is Morgan.

  He gave Morgan 1 of the pizza slices. I said hi.

/>   Morgan was a grone up—had a beerd and all. His nose was flat and his eyes were sort of skinky at the corners. He had a wistle round his neck like a ref.

  What you doing here boy? he said to me.

  I dint no what to say.

  Show him Bunny said Jaden.

  Show him?

  Your ink. Your tatoo.

  OK I said. The band ade came up with my sleev and there was the 15. Morgans eyes opend wide.

  Ware you get that? he ast me.

  Bunnys bin in hall said Jaden. Thats ware he got the candl. Thats why you dont no him. Hes OK.

  Morgan still lookd—I dunno.

  What hall you in? he ast. That juvy place out in Scarboro? Bonesaw was there and I herd it was pretty bad. You there boy? Or sum ware els?

  So many questions and I cudnt anser any of them. I countd black drips. 1 2 on the floor then a bunch on the wall 3 4 5 6 7.

  Jaden was talking.

  Bunny saved my ass today he said. Shud of seen him throw this big Angel away. Bunny nose the sines. Hes with the possy Morgan.

  2 guys were in the ring going round and round. They were dressd like UFC fiters—tite shorts and littl gloves and that was all. The fiter in black shorts was good. He was kind of fat but he movd fast.

  That inks fresh—ware you get it dun? Morgan ast.

  I new this anser. I told him about the Ink Tank place and Roxy the dorf and he ate his pizza and nodded.

  I saw old Billy from Ink Tank this afternoon. Told me sum thing about a white boy hurting an Angel on the street. That you? Billy said you threw the Angel round like he was a frisbee or sum thing.

  What I told you Morgan said Jaden. Bunny here was saving me.

  Xept I dint no that guy was an Angel I said.

  The fiter in black nockd the other 1 down with a hammer to the neck. Morgan blew his wistle and told them both to stop. Then he went back to looking at me.

  So Bunny—how you get to be 15?

  I dint no what he ment. I was 14 last year and now Im 15.

  It just happend to me I said. Same as any 1.

  The fiters were leening on the ropes staring down at us. Black Shorts had a tatoo like Jadens and mine and the wall out side. This was weerdr and weerdr.

  Your name reely Bunny? he said. Like a bunny rabbit?