An Indelible Tribute

How do people choose the words they tattoo onto their bodies? I know one answer. In 2009 Tobias Wolff read his great story, Bullet In the Brain, at The Story Prize reading. My son, Asher, who was in 11th grade at the time, was so moved and surprised by the beauty of the ending--the improper colloquial poetry of a phrase repeated three times, they is, they is, they is--that he told me right then he was going to have it tattooed on his arm. It took two years for the plan to come together but today I saw the result.

Below is a link to Tobias Wolff reading Bullet In The Brain, beginning at 1:16.
http://fora.tv/2009/03/04/The_Story_Prize_Awards_Ceremony_2009