
Last weekend Slim and I were introduced to tattoo artist Brandon Bond of All or Nothing Tattoo by our boy Aaron Cowan (Sage Dynamics). My first thought - who the hell is this weird sonuvabitch, and why is someone like Aaron hanging with him? He's got big damned holes in his ears and ink all over the place, he sounds like he's been gargling razors in between smoking unfiltered Drinas and he's about three steps busier than frenetic (grunts: frenetic).
I'm not going to lie. I'm a judgemental asshole. I looked at this demented "artist" with his color-splashed arms and chain hanging off his hip and thought, What in the hell am I doing hanging out with this counter-culture lunatic when I could be watching Slim's back while he chases drunk fat chicks?
Let me tell you all sumthin', and it's not something you're likely to hear more than once or twice in a lifetime. I was wrong.
Brandon Bond isn't just a Tier One tattoo artist. He is also one of the nicest guys you will ever meet, and he's one patriotic sumbitch. I don't mean patriotic like he has a flag outside his business (he does), I mean patriotic like he lives-eats-breathes America and damn near bursts into tears when he hears the Star Spangled Banner. I mean patriotic like he'd happily fight even the baddest bad ass if said bad ass was disrespecting the flag, mocking a disabled veteran or failing to take his hat off when they play the National Anthem. This guy is a passionate, honest-to-God no shit USA-loving, 2ND Amendment-supporting patriot. Tell you something else too, this dude is smart. Like big brain CIA smart.
Yeah, he can be an asshole and he's obviously aware of his own status, but I don't blame him for that. He's earned his ego. It's pretty hard for me to forget how fucking wonderful I am too. You know what the best part about being me is? No one else gets to be.
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Read more: Brandon Bond: the Most Unlikely of Patriots (and his interview with Yeager)