It was recently time for my quarterly haircut. I like to visit a local shop and sit with whomever has an open chair.

Sometimes, when I walk in, I notice that one of the hair stylists is almost completely tattooed, including multiple and obvious facial tattoos.

In general, I don’t understand why anyone would get a tattoo. It makes no sense to me. They’re reportedly painful. The area on your body where you get it is going to change. Your tastes are going to change. The color’s going to fade. Why there instead of there? Why that?

If it exists at all, it’s a short list of things in my life I’ve never reconsidered or thought of differently from one phase of my life to another. Knowing that, why would I gamble on the tattoo surviving the acceptance test for 40, 50, or 60 years.

That said, I’ve come to respect that people get them, and even appreciate some really good ones.

But what I don’t respect is facial tattoos. I can’t get past the idea that the person getting a facial tattoo is simply capable of incredibly bad decision making.

I’m also not comfortable staring at things I know I’m not supposed to stare at, and I can’t help but think the person with a facial tattoo is both counting on the stares and, at the same time, ready to be annoyed at them.

Anyway, on this particular day, luck of the draw sent me to the man with the facial tattoo.

Huh… Turns out he was a pretty nice guy.