A SACRIFICIAL LIMB BY DESIGN

Jesse Tretick laughs about his earlier days as a “pool boy” in Harrison Hot Springs, knowing that union job was secure, paid well and had many beautiful perks.
Missing, however, was a creative outlet for one of Abbotsford’s most unassuming artists. So, the affable pool boy made a big splash into the unfiltered world of tattooing, and has quickly become one of the finest talents in the craft this side of nature’s playground.
Perhaps it was The Bucket List movie that inspired this reluctant daredevil to scribble together a “must-do-before-I-die” checklist.
That pre-exit agenda included a tattoo, but a desire to be carved up on a rare day off didn’t make it a top priority.
However, a funny thing happened on the way to work last week . . . I somehow ended up in the Renaissance Hair and Body Studio talking to Jesse and what he envisioned inking on me during the weekend’s Westcoast Tattoo Culture Show.
After flipping through pages of Jesse’s amazing artwork – he has done 1,600 “tats” in 3½ years – he inquired what was really important in my life. I blurted out “overdraft protection, Starbucks, Penelope Cruz and McDonald’s drive-thru,” hoping he’d change his mind and take his eyes off my virgin arm.
I panicked when he brushed that answer aside, knowing this was actually going to happen. Visions of a Chicago Sun story suddenly came to mind:
“Tattoo. What a loaded word it is, rife with associations to goons, bikers, tribal warriors, carnival freaks, sailors and floozies.”
Yikes, what would mom think? What would my neighbours, who already wonder about me, think? More importantly, what would the floozies think?
Jesse, an easygoing dude, assured all the horror stories were mostly embellished. He pointed to his own tattoo-covered neck and admitted there was “some discomfort” but nothing unbearable. In other words, it wasn’t as painful as an Abbotsford tax hike.
So, after a short brainstorming session, we decided on an Aztec-themed armband, because while others have angels, hearts, crosses, skulls and babes inked on their skin, I wanted to be like Charlie Brown on Halloween and say “I got a rock!”
Seriously, this Gringo has spent many memorable months in Mexico exploring caves, ruins and temples. I love the people’s zest for the simple life (and siestas and cervezas) and can relate to the Aztec tradition of human sacrifice, being a journalist in these troubled economic times!
Spent two hours in a chair Saturday at Tradex bringing Jesse’s brilliant creation to life. It hurt a bit – lots of needles, lots of cuts, lots of things that irritate a raw piece of skin. But what an amazing experience.
As hundreds passed by Jesse’s booth and said his work was outstanding, the burning sensation that was my numb arm became a patch of pride.
And these passerbys weren’t the “freaks” or the “bikers and gangsters” often synonymous with body art. These were moms, dads and your next door neighbour with a gardening fetish.
They were nice, salt-of-the-earth folks, like Jesse’s good buddy “Bailey,” a 23-year-old Mission resident who had a tattoo that went from his hip to his toes and took 30-plus hours to finish – and he was getting ready for more extensive work as my session ended.
Feeling like I had just overcome a fear and fulfilled a life-long dream, I noticed a poster on the Tradex wall: “Want extreme fun? Skydive from 12,500 feet today!”
Crazy, you say? Naw, just think of what Aztec art looks like from that height.
And besides, when you think of tattoos, doesn’t “da plane, da plane” come to mind?