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Putting everything in my portfolio, I make sure it’s ready and we head out of the house to Trax’ truck. Trax helps me in the truck and I keep my portfolio in my lap as I fasten my seatbelt while he rushes around to the driver’s side and gets in. Today is overcast and it looks like it’s going to rain any second. We’ve had a fairly good summer and I hope this isn’t some kind of sign that this interview is going to go wrong. No, I’m not really into that kind of thing, but my mood is definitely not what it would be if it were bright and sunny outside.
“You’re gonna do great, pixie. Cash is gonna love your work and there’s no doubt about it in my mind,” Trax says as we leave the driveway and head across town toward the shop.
I’ve passed by it but have never gone inside. When I was hurt, there was no reason for me to go inside and have one more reminder about what I couldn’t do at the time. Now, I want to bust my ass and start putting ink on people. To give their dream tattoo and make sure they love the work I’ve done for them. That’s the ultimate goal for me. To help people get the tattoo they want that displays a memory, showcases a loved one, or is simply something they’ve always wanted to get displayed on their body.
When we pull into the small parking lot of the shop, Trax shuts the engine off and gets out before making his way around the front of the truck to help me out of my seat. He holds my hand as we walk toward the door of the shop. I can already hear the music blaring from inside and wonder how anyone has a conversation with their client when they’re working. I’m not used to the music being so loud. My uncle always had music playing in his shop back home, but it was turned down so conversations could take place.
Trax opens the door for me and holds it until he can follow me through. He lets go of my hand and places it on the small of my back as I walk up to the front counter. Kidd is sitting there and he’s the only one I see in the shop. Looking up, Kidd turns the music down immediately and smiles at me.
“You here for your interview with Cash?” he asks, doing some kind of handshake with Trax that seems complicated as hell.
“Yeah. Is he here?” I return, not sure if he’s even here for the interview.
“Of course. He’s in the office. Tripp has the day off today so it’s just the two of us. That’s why the music was so loud. My client isn’t here yet and there haven’t been any walk-ins. So, I tend to turn the volume up when we’re all alone in here. If it bothers you, just tell me to turn it the fuck down and I will,” Kidd says, laughter filling his voice before he turns to face a door off to the right of the counter. “Cash, get your ass out here!”
“Fuck off, Kidd,” a man grumbles back before filling the doorway of the room. “Hey Reagan. It’s good to see you. If you’ll come in my office, we can shut that fucker out so I don’t have to hear his mouth anymore.”
I smile at Cash while moving around the counter to make my way to his office. Cash moves his body so I can step into the office and wait for him to let me know where he’d like me to sit. Cash closes the door after flipping Kidd off and turns to face me.
“Please, take a seat,” he says, making his way to his desk to sit in the chair across from the one I take. “So, the first thing I want to know is if you have any experience tattooin’ on actual people.”
“Yes. Not a ton of people. Mainly my uncle Irish. I was doing an apprenticeship with him before I left for college. I’d been working for him for a long time before moving to Iron Head and then Clinton City. I’ve got pictures in my portfolio of the work I’ve done along with some drawings I’ve completed. One of those is a work in progress that I plan on having put on myself. I just haven’t been able to work on it for a while,” I answer him, my voice strong and steady as I hand over my portfolio.
Cash flips through the work and pictures I have inside. He remains quiet the entire time and his face is a blank mask. I can’t get a read on what’s going through his mind at all. It’s frustrating because almost every single man in my life is the same way. They don’t let you know what they’re thinking or feeling unless they absolutely want to. Trax is about the only one who lets me know with a simple look what he’s feeling.
“This is all really good work. I’m impressed with the quality because you haven’t been doin’ this shit for very long at all. You’ll fit in quite nicely here. However, are you really ready to start workin’ and tattooin’ right now? I know you’re currently in physical therapy for what the stupid fucker did to you,” Cash questions me, handing my portfolio back over after removing a drawing and keeping it in front of him.
“I’m ready to start tattooing. I’ve been drawing again and my therapist is impressed with the progress I continue to make. I don’t think my arm or wrist will bother me much once I start tattooing,” I answer him as honestly as I can because I truly don’t know how it’s going to feel.
“Let’s test it out then. I want you to ink this on me,” Cash says, turning the drawing around to show me one I did just before leaving Clifton Falls.
The drawing he wants me to ink is full of intricate lines and I’ve shaded it completely gray with the rest remaining free of any ink. The design is a nature scene but it’s small. I smile at Cash as he stands from his chair and makes his way out of the office with me following behind him. There’s a station that has nothing in it and that’s where he leads me.
“Do you have your own equipment, or will you need to borrow a gun?” Cash questions me as he takes the chair.
“Trax, can you get my case out of the truck? I put it in there yesterday,” I ask, turning to face Cash as I put my hair up in a messy bun so it’s out of the way. “I’m gonna wash my hands while he gets my case. I’ve got the guns, ink that I just replaced, and needles that are pre-sterilized. If you’re not comfortable with me using one of the disposable needles I have, I can use something you have in stock here.”
“The disposable one will be fine. Thank you for givin’ me the choice though. Not a lot of people do that shit,” Cash returns, looking at Kidd who’s stepped up to join us.
“Gettin’ a new tattoo?” Kidd asks Cash as Trax makes his way back in the shop and hands over my case.
I set everything up on the counter in front of me. After washing my hands, I begin to open the case and pull out everything I need to get the tattoo done on Cash. The guys talk behind me as I work on setting things up. They don’t get near me or anything I’m currently setting out. Every guy in here knows to stay away from a sterile setup and is giving me the space I need.
“Cash, would you be more comfortable with me doing a stencil of this design or can I work freehand?” I ask him, not having an issue either way he wants me to work on him. The ink is going on his body after all.
“Are you comfortable doin’ this freehand?” he returns, a smile on his face.
“I prefer to always work freehand instead of using a stencil. But at the end of the day, the ink is going on your body and it’s up to what you prefer over what I do,” I answer him with a smile on my face.
“Show me what you got, Reagan,” he says, as I finish setting everything up and take the seat I’ll use while I’m working.
“Where do you want it?” I question him, seeing both of his arms are covered in tattoos already.
Cash removes his shirt and points to a spot on his side. He moves around on the chair until he’s in the correct position for me to tattoo the design on his ribs. I don’t really like tattooing on people’s sides, but it’s not my body. So, I pick up the gun and get to work. Kidd and Trax leave us alone so I can get to work. I keep the drawing off to the side so I can keep looking at it and make sure I’m not messing the lines up. Cash lays completely still and doesn’t say a word as I put ink into his skin. I usually like to talk to my clients, but that’s just me. I don’t have to say anything when I work.
It takes me about two hours to outline and shade the tattoo on Cash’s skin. When I set my gun down on the tray, I shake out my hand. Other than a slight ache, there’s no pain at all. I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face when I wipe down the tattoo and prepare to put the ointment on it so I can wrap it. Cash will get to see it before I cover the work as usual. When I’m done wiping Cash’s side down to clear any blood and ink, he stands from the chair and looks in the mirror that’s hanging in the station he led me to.
For several minutes, he doesn’t say a word as he inspects my work. Again, I have no clue what he thinks about the ink I’ve just permanently put into his skin. Kidd and Trax come over to take a look as they stand away from him. Finally Cash turns to me with a smile on his face.
