They Have Trouble Written All Over Them

(I own a tattoo parlor in a small section of the downtown area. I won’t tattoo anyone who is drunk, or even if I suspect they have been drinking. This takes place the day after I turned away someone who didn’t even look old enough to get a tattoo, let alone drink. They return with what appears to be a parent.)

Young customer: “That’s the b**** who wouldn’t give me a tattoo last night!”

Older customer: “Is that true?”

Me: “Yes.”

Older customer: “Well, why the h*** not?”

Me: “First, she had no ID. Secondly, she was drunk.”

Older customer: “So what? There is no excuse for you not giving her a tattoo. Haven’t you heard that the customer is always right?!”

Me: “We don’t tattoo drunk people. Also, if you have no ID, I can’t tattoo you.”

Older customer: “That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard!”

Me: “Well, I don’t know what to tell you then.”

Young customer: “Here’s my ID now, d***!” *throws the ID at me*

Me: “Uh-huh, so you’re sixteen, and you are who to this person exactly?”

Older customer: “Her father!”

Me: “Right. Well, I’m just going to go ahead and call the police.”

Older customer: “Do that! I’ll have you arrested!”

Me: “For what, exactly? Refusing to give your drunk underage daughter a tattoo? You do realize that her drinking is against the law, don’t you? If someone is getting arrested today, it won’t be me.”

Older customer: “I’ll teach you! I’ll kick your a**!”

(The older customer attempts to hit me, but I’ve been around long enough that I know how to defend myself. I quickly react in defense, knocking him onto his rear end, much to his shock.)

Me: “This will go one of two ways. You can get the h*** out of my parlor, or I can throw you out of it. And if I ever see either one of you around here again, the police will be the least of your worries. Am I clear?”

(The older customer grabs the younger one by the arm, and bolts. I haven’t seen them in the area since.)