I is for instructions

   I held the bright orange square of finger between two fingers and read the following

Do not let your friends or pets touch or lick your new tattoo.


   On my right bicep I felt like a million little horses were galloping in circles around my upper arm.
   Actually there were just three little horses with freshly inked jockeys aboard their backs galloping around my right bicep and I had no intention of letting my pets or coworkers for that matter touch or lick my arm.

    The piece of paper with new tattoo after care instructions also warned me

listen to your tattoo artist and not your friends.

    These would come to be words of wisdom after my best friend told me I should spray my bicep with hand sanitizer, also not the best idea I would think.


    And another friend walking by muttered,
    “Does he even have a tattoo? How does he know?”
    I think I’ll just follow the instructions on the bright orange paper.