Tattoo Ignorance

[Rebecca Mulcahy]

A man approached my husband, who has sleeves on both arms, and asked what he was going to do about his tattoos when he's 45?..... this is the first time I've heard someone ask such an ignorant, absent minded question.

My husband handle it very well and explained that we own our home, own his business, have investments, savings accounts, a SEP and an IRA and at 45 he will probably be semi-retired enjoying his days at the lake and getting more tattoos. The man replied by by shuting up and slithering away, but I was wondering how most of you would handle this type of situation.

[Steve Bentivegna]

I feel you on this one and its actually a pretty typical dumb question. I must admit, however, that I was never asked what I was going to do when I was 45. Usually, people ask what you'll do when you're 80 or 85. My typical response is that if they happen to be staring at me when I'm old, wrinkly and naked then my tattoos probably wouldn't be my primary concern.

[Melissa]

People ask me that all the time. "Don't you worry that they will hurt your career options?", "Don't you think people won't hire you?"

Erm, I've been working in my very small field for 6 years without a problem and could quit today and find another job tomorrow. What's on my skin, and usually under my clothes, doesn't matter one bit when you can't find another capable water resources engineer in the whole area.

I also love the "That's going to look horrible when you're 80!" comment. Usually I say "Your skin won't look too great when you're 80 either. At least mine will be interesting."

[PharmD]

people are so judgmental. i cant ever believe someone would be so rude as to ask that question. i have heard of people grabbing sleeved arms and "rubbing" the tattoos to see if they're real, on complete strangers. society never fails to disapoint me.

[Judy]

I would probably say "What do you mean?" Then let him try to explain what he meant by that stupid remark.
Then I would ask why he thought it necessary to bring it up. Just keep pounding him with questions. Then I would say "If you'd get to know people instead of judging them by outward appearances you might have a lot more friends". Then walk away.

[Krista Newsome]

i tell them my mom is 55 and she just started getting tattoos so i say to them when i am 45 i will be getting more and showing them off.

[Marisa_DiMattia (Kakoulas)]

Oh, I get that ALL the time! I used to explain my life -- trying to impress my inquisitor -- saying a was a lawyer, writer, Ivy educated blah blah blah and then I asked myself "Who the fuck is this person I need to explain my life to?"

So now I say, "At least they'll be looking at the tattoos than a pale saggy butt," smile and walk away. Or sometimes I just walk away as if they are just too stupid to warrant a response.

I do like Judy's response a lot about turning the questions on the rude idiot asking. I'm gonna try that.

[Nina]

I've said, while making a sad face, "Yeah, I guess a modeling contract will be out of the question then". Most people catch on, and those who don't are beyond help anyway ;).

[Rebecca Mulcahy]

Ha. I like this answer. I just got my first arm tattoo, cant wait for someone to say something about it, this kind of sarcastic remark is right up my alley. :)

[Jess]

Isn't it fun, plotting your next smart-ass comment to stupid questions?

[jude]

My good friend recently said "ok, enough tattoos, what if you apply for a job one day and they see all of the tattoos, you wont get hired." then I suppose I will look elsewhere. Oh and who cares what I will look like at 80?
Hopefully I will still have room left on my saggy body to get more.......

[ABF]

I spend a lot of time working as a volunteer on political campaigns, so I take a lot of abuse on a regular basis from conservatives around here (..and there are a lot of them.) It's amazing how people can be extremely rude. I'm obviously an "older" person and somebody's mom; why be nasty to me? Sheesh. They wouldn't like it if someone was mean to their mom. In response, I'm always very polite; it makes their rude behavior even more jarring and apparent.

[Davita]

ive gotten the age thing alot....and i just tell them, "who the hell is hott when their 50 anyways!!!"