this story is for those of you who don’t know how i came to get my BTI tattoo.
it all started sometime about the beginning of july 2007 when Shane (bigbammer) invited me to his wedding with Keri (countess). i said i would try but probably wouldn’t because i could not afford for the wife and i to go. after speaking to her she told me i should go on my own, well i didn’t need telling twice. so i rang Shane and told him i was booking a ticket and that i would be there. all seemed to be going well until a few days later when Shane said the wedding was being moved forwards and was also going to be in Nichols, Iowa and not in New York as first arranged. And the most amazing part of all of this Shane asked me to be best man!!!! not a problem i just booked a flight to Chicago and Shane and Keri would come and get me. fantastic all was sorted and the flights to and from Chicago were booked and nothing could go wrong…!!!! famous last words…!!!!
on the friday morning i left home 8 hours early for a 2 hour drive to the airport. we were going pretty well until we got to the M25 London orbital motorway. there had been an accident where a lorry had rolled over and dumped 30 tons of plasterboard all over the whole carriageway. this brought us to a total stop and then it took 4 hours to get to the next exit, needless to say i didn’t get to the plane on time. i nearly just gave up as the airline wanted £250 or about $480 to reschedule for the following morning. i couldn’t afford that much more. anyway we asked about the price etc at the help desk and the guy there had a word with his manager and i just had to pay £50 more. phew what a relief. all day i had been trying to get hold of Keri or Shane to tell them to wait in Iowa as i might not get there. too late they had already gone and ended up staying the night in Chicago so that they would be there in the morning to pick me up. if ever any of you guys get the chance to go and meet them please do they are both awesome people and i am proud to call them part of my new extended family. well we got to Iowa no problem and the wedding all went well, despite Keri having a fit of the giggles during the ceramony. then there was a cake reception etc. we all went to the pub after that and i took the piss out of the plastic darts, we have real ones in the UK…!!! lol..!! Kevin (inkbug) said this is because they tend to throw them at each other. well we do in England, don’t stop us having real ones. did seem funny to me that hand guns are totally illegal in the UK and we have real darts, in the USA you have the right to bear arms but only get plastic darts in your local pub……!!! lol…!!!
the day after the wedding, sunday, we had breakfast with Keri’s parents (love you mum and dad) and then it was off to Chicago to find Wendy’s tattoo shop and to meet Wendy (tatbrat1488). we got to Chicago and booked some rooms at a super8 motel then went and found Wendy. once there Shane, Keri,Kevin and I all got new ink done and we all had BTI tatt’s to commemorate the ocassion in style.

Close up

we then spent what was left of the night with Wendy and her friends in a local Irish pub till it closed. the following morning it was back on a plane and then home…..
so there you have it, something like a 9,000 mile round trip to be Shane’s best man at his wedding with Keri and then a BTI tattoo… i had a awesome time and met some awesome people, I’ve never felt so welcome anywhere ever and would like to say thanks to everybody….
Phoenix