Salaryman's new tat

I had to go to the INS offices today to get fingerprinted for my citizenship application. It was a pretty quick and efficient process, and the system that captures the digital print images (oooh, double meaning of digital!) is cool--it rates each image on a points system, with clearer images getting a 70+ score. The technician had to do mine a few times, but was very nice about it (yes! Nice INS officers!!). They also gave me a "Larn yersel' US history" book and CD, so I can practice for the exam (date TBD).

Riding the Green Line back to work in the early afternoon, I stood next to a guy in kakhi Dockers and blue dress shirt who was sporting a fresh tattoo--so fresh, it was still in its shrinkwrap. His right sleeve was rolled up, and his (rather hairy) forearm was shaved, and under the protective plastic was a very clear, sharp image (some kind of Japanese fighting-star motif). He was trying not to move his freshly painted arm too much, and as the train pulled into Arlington he was struggling to put his tie back on with one hand.

I thought that was pretty cool--he'd gone out at lunch, got a tattoo, and was now going back to the office to grind away for a few more hours, the aching flesh under his Van Heusen reminding him what a badass he was.