By Prospero Dae
I went to a tattoo parlor. Truth be told, it looked more like a lawyer’s office. By-and-by I was ushered into a small room and presented with a gilt-edged book to peruse. There were dragons and daggers and damsels. Next page, a lion couchant.
Soon a scarlet rose with satiny petals attracted me.
“Have you made a selection, Mr. Thorn?”
I nodded.
“Presently one of our tattooists will be at your disposition.”
She arrived, that faux paralegal, that songstress of the needle. Looks were exchanged as she lovingly etched my dexter bicep–and my heart pounded plentily. Her name was Rose.
Great story. A painting, so much to see. Thanks.
quite vivid
The ending was unanticipated but ties it up beautifully.
Good one, Prospero! Aha–don’t think we didn’t catch those little inserts: “A scarlet rose,” “Mr. Thorn,” the tattoo lady with the name of Rose. And that was a great phrase…”…that songstress of the needle.” This one is a Winner, for sure!
Exquisite. A Rosy Crucifixion!
Tennessee told me to ask you whether or not she looked a bit like Anna Magnani….
I almost wish her name was Jatropha Podagrica. I see where the same Muse has been doing the rounds!
Nice one Prospero. Sounds like a prickly time made fragrant – a thorny issue blossoming into something more?
My mind wields more tats to come… a heart and thorns, a script font in the name of Rose, and of course, a black and white portrait of Ariel… I’ll have your entire torso tatted in no time! Loved this one.