My Mother

...is a psychologist. A very good one. A very well-studied one, as it turns out.

Mom: Hey, is that a new tattoo?
Me: Oh, uh, yeah.
Mom: When did you get it?
Me: In Ireland, in Belfast, actually. [Partner's name] too.
Mom: Huh. Is it... it looks like a DSM-IV number...
Me: Yup.
Mom: Oh! Cool! Oh... which one?
Me: Well...

(crickets...)


Me: You really want to know?
Mom: Yeah. Sure...
Me: It's the code for sexual masochism.

(crickets...).




So. That's done, I guess.