Black silhouette of a small figure holding a bunch of balloons, with blue and pink watercolour washes and French script, tattooed on a upper back.

Silhouette figure with balloons and script

Lettering · Back · Mixed · Photo

A solid black silhouette of a small figure hangs from a bunch of long strings tied to balloon-like shapes. Fine black linework forms the strings and shapes, while soft blue, pink and purple watercolour washes sit behind them. Handwritten black script runs beside the balloons across the upper back.

Lettering Back Silhouette Figure Balloon Script Watercolour Quote

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A story inspired by this tattoo · fiction

Dear Ruth, the rain came in off the river at seven and has not thought about leaving since. Mr Okafor's flowers are ruined and the balloon man at the north gate has given up and gone home, which leaves me the whole of the north gate and forty-two silver-blue balloons I was supposed to sell at a pound each. Nobody buys balloons in the rain. I have stood here all afternoon with the strings wound round my wrist like a hostage.

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A boy in a yellow mac stopped in front of the stall around four. He was about six and his father was already three steps past him, hurrying toward the bus shelter. The boy asked whether the balloons would take him up if he held on tight enough. I told him they'd lift a sack of flour if you tied it right, but he'd want better boots. He laughed, then asked if I'd sell him the lot for the price of one.

I gave him the lot. Don't scold me, the takings were going to end up in the gutter anyway. He gripped the strings with both fists, and for a moment, with the rain drumming on the canvas and the blues pushing against all that grey, I thought he might actually rise. He didn't. His father came back, took the bundle from him with a face like a shut door, and the boy kept looking over his shoulder at me the whole way to the bus stop.

I went home with empty hands and a pocket of soggy coins, and my wrist still feels the pull. Tell me I did right. You are the only person I know who can say it without sounding like a greeting card. Love, Nell.