As I was browsing through Flickr the other day I came across this photo taken by a friend, Tristan Crane, of this great Bladerunner tattoo on Mo’s shoulder. Mo’s also a photographer and you can see his work (some NSFW) over at Naked Eye Photography. I inquired about the story behind the tattoo and was incredibly moved. I’ll let Mo’s words do the talking:
My father was a solider in the US Army. He fought in Korea and Vietnam, and as part of the Corps of Engineers he built roads and infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Latin America. By the time he retired, he was decorated with the National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, Humanitarian Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Air Medal, and two Bronze Stars.
His life was incredible. He saw so much in his lifetime that I can’t even begin to imagine. He was often telling stories, and we were always pressuring him to write them down. He began to write some memories down about 4 years before he died, but didn’t get far. They’re mainly quick sketches that outline adventures. His memoirs are beautiful, but fragmented. I wish he had been able to finish them, or that he had told me the stories in person.
His pages of fragmented memories begin with this paragraph:
“At the end of the movie Blade Runner, the replicant as he is dying, makes this last commentary. It reminds me of the admonition not to go into that dark night gently. The creature from another planet at the very end observed that all these memories will be lost in time like tears in rain. My recollections are those separate from tales told by others easily accepted as true memories. Hopefully, I have been able to make that distinction.”
My dad died on February 2nd, 2009. I had this quote tattooed on my arm 4 days after he died. He had the same tattoo, on the same arm- He got it at age 70 at a small biker shop in Colorado. His artist did it freehand. Although I’ll never be able to hear all of his stories, this tattoo allows me to have him with me always, and to remember how fantastic his life was.
What a great memory to have of a Father who lived and served honorably. I'm sure he'd be proud!
I love the font, love the quotation, and love the history of it. Well done.
It's "near" the Tannhauser Gate, not "at" the Tannhauser Gate.
Regardless, deckard68, she got the same tattoo her Father had. I’m sure that counts for more than a simple typo. I, for one, think it is amazing. My Father was in the Navy before joining the Fire Department, and had two forearm tattoos – one of a naked lady with a snake, and the other was a cobra – I couldn’t get the same, but I honored his memory with the date he passed last year, in binary. It’s elsewhere on the site.
Your tattoo is awesome. Don’t let anyone tell you any different.
Memento mori buddy. You'll always have that time you were purposelessly terrible to a stranger on the internet.
I got "All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain" tattooed on my side. i love it. it reminds me not to let the little things get me down because they dont matter in the long run
“Attacked ships on fire” off the shoulder of Orion.
and
“near” the Tannhauser Gate.
If I was getting a permanent tattoo, I would make sure I go it done correctly. I would sue him