(I have a tattoo on my foot of a vine of ivy. Usually, I hide it with my socks and shoes while working, but one day they get wet on the playground so I take them off to keep from getting blisters. While I’m changing shoes, a child notices the tattoo.)
Child: “Oh! What’s that?”
Me: “It’s a tattoo, it’s like a permanent drawing on your skin you can get when your 18.”
Child: “Can I touch it?”
Me: “Sure, it just feels like skin.”
(Several kids come over to touch my tattoo. A mother walks in.)
Mother: “Is that a tattoo?”
Me: “Yes.”
Mother: “You should be ashamed! You are setting a bad example for these children! That could be a gang symbol or related to drugs like marijuana!”
Me: “Ma’am, it’s just ivy.”
Mother: “What?! I don’t know anything about your drug symbols. This is highly unprofessional and I will be speaking to your boss! Advocating drugs like this!”
Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am. Next time I’ll be sure to hide my tattoo, but I assure you it has nothing to do with drugs or any illegal behavior.”
Mother: “You’d better! I can’t believe you would be allowed to work with kids!”
(The mother bends over to pick up daughter, and I see a pair of dolphins tattooed very low on her back–AKA a “tramp stamp”. It’s visible just above her thong and low rise jeans. Rightly or wrongly, these tattoos often have a negative connotation.)
Me: “Nice dolphins.”
Mother: “I’m an adult! Don’t you judge me!”
