Many years ago, I was at band camp where met a girl, 18-19 I don't really remember, who had weird, bad tattoos all over her arms and one leg. Totally incoherent, like they were done by a drunk toddler. But also super thick and bold, and kinda distorted.

We became friendly, and tattoos in general came up, so I asked her about them. Instantly she gave that weary kind of dead-behind-the-eyes smile that makes you realise instantly you've fucked up because she's asked this all the time and is numb to the answer. Her answer word for word is burned into my brain, even almost a decade later.

"My dad used to get drunk, and he'd tie me down and practice on me. I've had some of them since I was six or seven. The last one on my stomach he did about three years ago. My brother came home while he was doing it and shot him. And they call my brother the criminal. [Slight pause]. Are you gonna eat that sandwich?"