Can We Talk 2

Tattoos and Pink Hair

         I'm getting accustomed to people covered in tattoos, body piercings, and unnatural hair colors. The bronze or coppery versions of natural colors caught my eye first. They were so close to natural and were healthy looking. The blues and greens and pinks tend to look like damaged hair. I did like Cindi Lauper's pink style recently; it looked controlled.I'm beginning to think I could tolerate some purple streaks just for the fun of it on a temporary basis but only if it looks conditioned and smooth.

         The other things I could never do for myself. I have too many skin allergies. I can't wear earrings.I tried solid gold posts for pierced ears once, but had a very bad reaction. The doctor told me sterling silver only, but they don't make them. So piercings are out even for ears. I don't like the other things, especially things that hang out of the nose. That just seems so nasty. It must require a lot of cleaning. The Hindi use them as a religious practice, but they're usually small and simple gold. I can tolerate them without aversion on other people, but I don't like them.Except for the Hindi, the piercings just seem like symbols of rebellion, not fashion. And people of all ages practice this, not just kids.

         Piercings can be undone like hair color. Holes will grow back. Tattoos are a true pain to remove. Besides the remote possibility of infection, there's wrinkling and sagging, age spots, and other developing skin abnormalities that will turn the tattoo that looks like art today into something distorted next year. And the tattoo to my eye is like wearing clothes that clash. The artwork on your body is not complementary of most of your outfits. Unless everything you buy is monotone and color coordinated with your toos, you're going to look like you dressed in the dark. Most people like changing outfits from day to day, but body ink can't be changed. So I just don't get it.

         You would think that these things would be luxuries seen only on people with money to spend. But no. People who can't buy groceries for the kids or pay their car loan have money for a new tattoo or new hair color or a stud in the cheek. Sometimes they have cigarettes, too, or it could just be the people I've worked with who have shared their hardship stories with me, between smoke breaks, while sporting these newly acquired things.