Inked Out

"Hey Ma, get over here. I need you to shave me." 

"Coco, why would you want to be shaved? I think your natural fur looks beautiful."

"I have an appointment for a tattoo removal session tomorrow, and I need to be as bald as a baby chicken for this thing. I'd rather be shaved at home than in the shop."

This was the first time I had ever heard Coco mention tattoos.

"How was I not aware that you had tattoos, and why are now deciding to get them removed?"

"My ex-lover had a tattoo removed after the TV show Jersey Shore gained popularity. I think he was tired of people shouting 'Hey! Pauly D!'" Coco said. "I have a few regrettable ones, and I think it's time to get rid of them."

I reached up to smooth out her puffy cheeks. "Coco, if you really want me to shave you, I will. I just want you to know that I'm not happy about this...what are these tattoos, anyway?

"When I was 3 years old, I got my first tattoo of a green caterpillar crawling up my left paw. A year later I got a turtle eating a bowl of cereal on my right side. On my left side I have a tattoo of a rabbit skull and a portrait of Estelle Getty of the famed, Getty Images on Google."

"Coco, Estelle Getty is a Golden Girl, not the namesake of a photo stockpile. Are you serious!?"

Coco threw me a sassy look. "Shave me and I guess you'll find out."

I felt a bit defeated. "I'm actually considering doing this for you, but I must insist that you sleep on it. I want you to be 100% sure you wanna do this."

She frowned. "I'm positive. Plus, I wanna get all these tattoos removed so I can start a full body piece."

"A full body piece?! Of what?"

"I want to get horizontal lines and full brown shading so I look like a loaf of bread."

I shook my head and left the room.