Tattoo Stories--Passing the Hat

The real reason to get a tattoo, especially an m-dot tattoo, is because the chicks really dig it. It's sort of like playing lead guitar or singing lead in "the band." You get into all kinds of random conversations with chicks who are digging your bad boy style. You regular readers will recall the tattoo conversation I had with the girl at the pool when she asked about my tattoo and told me about hers . . .

the goldfish . . .

that was put on with water at a birthday party with a jumpy thing.

OK she was six. But she was digging my ink.

I had another encounter this past spring with a girl (er, woman) more my own age, again at the pool. I was going in for a masters workout and "the new girl" saw my tattoo and asked, "hey, did you do an Ironman."

"Why, yes I did." (Actually, standing as I was in my state of speedo-near-nakedness, preparing to drop into the slow lane while she was justifiably preparing to swim four lanes faster, it was more like a sheepish, "uh-huh").

"Which one?"

"Ironman Wisconsin."

"Wow, I'm going to be doing that race this fall. I need to talk to you."

And so was born a friendship with Iron KT and her husband Dutch and their two smart, athletic , empathetic, and fascinating kids. Iron KT and Dutch have both done triathlon for years, their kids do triathlon, and it has been a true blessing to have such a family move in so close to us. In particular, Superpounce and Mini-KT are so sympatico you'd think they were separated at birth.

Now, however, it's almost game time for Iron KT. A week from this Sunday she will toe the line with a couple thousand of her closest friends to do her first Ironman. Like many of us, she is not doing it alone or only for herself. She is racing for the Miracles of Mitch Foundation to fight pediatric cancer.

I know that many of my friends from the upper Midwest have raised money for MOMF and several of your kids, like Mini-KT and Mini-Dutch, have raced for kids who can't. And even if you don't know this particular charity, who can imagine a parental helplessness and pain worse than watching your child suffering with cancer. This is a noble purpose and Iron KT needs help to get to her fund raising goal. And because I don't believe in "do as I say, not as I do," I have chipped my bit into the hat.

Because we are all friends here, and because many of you know I have contributed to your causes too, I am going to exercise a little bit of license and personal privilege to directly appeal to you on Iron KT's behalf. If you think cancer sucks, and if you have any change at all in your couch cushions (or 401k or trust fund or stock option plan) hit Iron KT's fund raising link and tell 'em that Greyhound sent 'ya.