Last Thursday I was 23. (Or maybe 27.)

On Thursday morning of last week, I drove around town looking for a place where I could get something similar to this.

I know what you’re thinking, and that’s fine because everyone has a right to think what they think. BUT, I love the idea of a bracelet tattoo and I received a birthday gift of money and I really don’t need a thing, so I may as well drive around town looking for a place where I could get something similar to the photo above. Right? (We all have our joys, and we find our joys in different places and that’s what makes us interesting.)

Guy at Place #1: Yep. I can do that. It will be $280.
Me: How much would it be without the ring at the elbow?
Guy at Place #1: $200.
Me (knowing I was about to lie a little): I’m going to have to think about it and come back some other day.

Lady at Place #2: That tattoo is physically impossible.
Me: But I’ve seen so many similar ones online.
Lady at Place #2: Maybe you have, but it can’t be done. We could do a line across your outer wrist and maybe add circles on the inside, but we can’t do it until walk-in time tomorrow.

I went home and started thinking on paper with the plan of visiting one more place before giving up.

A few hours later, I put on my best Mrs. Roper outfit and drove to the Delmar Loop to meet a friend for the Margaret Glaspy show.

Because I got there a little early, I took the time to stop by the third (and final) tattoo joint.

Guy at Place #3: The arm isn’t a perfect cylinder. It can be done, but it’s not as simple as it looks.
Me: Well, then how about instead of a ring we do a spiral and somehow make it into a fountain pen?
Guy at Place #3: We can definitely do that, too. Whatever you want. I have an opening at 4:00 tomorrow afternoon.
Me: In.

That’s when we shook hands and I walked a few blocks up the road to Blueberry Hill. I was still early, so I decided to belly up to the bar and drink an Aunt Sally through a straw while jotting down short story ideas because sometimes good things snowball and riding it is the only way to go.

When my friend arrived (let’s call her S), we sat down for dinner and conversation about book ideas and could this evening get any better? Believe it or not: It did. Why? Because at 7:45 we made our way down to the Duck Room where Cuddle Magic went on at 8.

I didn’t know much about Cuddle Magic before the show, but I loved them as soon as they got started. About halfway into their set they jumped off of the stage and asked the crowd to circle around them on the floor. And then this happened, and I became the shiniest of superfans. Lots of talent here.

(The video is not from the St. Louis show, but it may as well be, because this is exactly how things went down.)

At 9:00, Margaret Glaspy came on and she was full of heart and angst and bulldog.

I took several short videos, but this is the only one that would transfer:

It was the perfect way to spend a Thursday evening. Hanging with S, talking lit stuff and tattoos and life, then Cuddle Magic and Margaret Glaspy. Once again, despite all of the crap that goes on (You don’t know about the crap. I keep the crap away from you.), I really am lucky.

Wait. Did you want to hear more about the tattoo? You’ll have to come back for that. We’re already at 586 words, and no one has time for more. Especially not on a Wednesday. ‘ ‘ ‘text/javascript’>