I was at Binny’s buying just-a-little-too-much regional craft beer, as you do, when I saw Curly and her obviously new Chicago flag tattoo. As soon as she was done asking an employee her questions about regional craft beer, I jumped in and interviewed her right in the middle of the beer aisle. Where better?
CFT: This is a brand-fresh-new tattoo.
Curly: Fresh! I just it last Wednesday, so just a few days old. I’m a transplant, I’m not from here, but I’m planning on getting two flag tattoos, for where I grew up and where I live now. It’s just a very significant part of my life. In mine, there’s a banner that says Kedzie on it, and that is my dog’s name. It’s my first dog that I’ve had myself and it’s a kind of a very bold move into adulthood that I have a pet to take care of. And I got her here, so that is the meaning.
CFT: And do you live on Kedzie?
Curly: I live really close to Kedzie. I just a street over.
CFT: Some boring name…
Curly: Yeah, I’m not going to name my dog Albany, that’s weird. But actually a friend of mine from the area as well suggested renaming her Kedzie. Because I rescued her and the name she came with was not good. We call her “Keds” for short.
CFT: How long have you been in Chicago?
Curly: About six years.
CFT: And it feels like home now?
Curly: It does. It’s been the one place that I can see myself staying throughout the rest of my life, if I can help that.
CFT: Where’d you get it done?
Curly: I got it from Allie Sider, he works out of Tatu Tattoo and Code of Conduct in the South Loop. But I went to Tatu in Wicker Park for it. He’s done a bunch of my other stuff. He actually did a flag tattoo earlier that day when I came in that he was telling us about. It’s very popular! And usually done well. So that’s good. It’s good to see that. And I think Chicago is one of the only cities where the flag is very prevalent. You can walk outside and you see a flag around. I don’t think that that’s the case really anywhere else. Because our flag is just so awesome.
