...I was in Tampa, Florida. Had never gotten a tattoo.....so I picked up the addy of a random Tattoo Parlor out of the phone book. I found the shop in a knida' seedy part of town....walked in to find a little dwarf-dude in a wheel chair talking with another old-timer. Walls were covered with a ton of flash....and every one even had a price on it! I was not sure at all of what I wanted....so I picked out a little dagger about three inches long. That guy had a price of $3.50 on it, and that seemed reasonable to an 18 year old!
The little guy wheeled over to me, and said "hi kid....my name is Stoney, and this is my place." He said "here...take a look at this"...and he pulled down his lower lip to show me the word "Stoney" tattooed there.....and chuckled at my astonishment! He told me to put my arm up on the crude arm-rest that he had there. He glanced over at the little flash dagger that I had picked out and drew it on my forarm with a pen. He showed me a few machines that he had on the shelf beside us and said.... "see....I keep all of my machines soaking in alcohol there....so they are all nice and clean!" The machines were all sitting in small mason-jars with the needles in....and the bottom couple of inches were soaking in the alcohol! Hell, seemed sterile enough for me ( those were the days when we didn't know about aids or other problems....bloodborn path problems were not common knowledge!).
Well, he just told me to " relax kid....just watch me work". He told me of his long stint with the circus.....and how he had done many things there. He said that tattooing was his greatest pleasure these days....since he had gotten too old and tired for the hard-work in the circus. His little hands were pretty deformed...even for a midget. I heard later that arthritus had really taken its toll on him....and I heard that (don't know if true or just a story) his friends had to tape the maching securely to his hand in order for him to tattoo anymore. Sad ending to a great little guy.
I had that tattoo until a few years ago....when I foolishly covered it up with a piss-poor excuse for art. I just was not thinking straight at the time....and I have been sorry for it ever-since. But what's done is done.
I just wanted to tell my little story of my first encounter with tattoos.....from a dude that turned out to be a true pioneer in the field! That was when the bug hit me....although it turned out to be years before I had time to really persue the art. I had 4 kids to take care of....and I just could not spend a lot of time learning. I was lucky enough to meet, and learn from, a great old tattoo artist that spent a ton of time and effort on me. As luck would have it.....I got into a bit of trouble....and was away for a bit. When I got back.....family troubles kept my practicing at a minimum. I spent a few years on-and-off and got fairly competent. Those were the days when old timers made their own ink....and ALL secrets were very closely guarded! Recently.....I got the bug again....and I am at a point in life that I can re-learn the art! I am shocked at the advancement on machines...needles, inks....and the art in general! Down-side seems to me to be the wild egos that some of these youngstres have! I just can't believe how much money these kids are making....and it looks like the money is taking the place of the love for the art that once-was. Maybe I am just getting old and bitter....don't know!
Well....I am at it again guys....and I have not had this much FUN in years! I am pleased at what I remember....and finding this Board has been a real treat for me! Great, helpful and kind people abound here.....and THAT is sure a nice change from some of those other tat boards!
Thats about it on this subject....I just wanted to share a few things with anyone that feels like hearing a story from an old-timer! :-)