Man Calls Friend’s Tattoo Dedicated To Her Boyfriend Who Passed Away A ‘Deal Breaker’ For Other Guys
She asked for his opinion, and she got it.
FXQuadro | Shutterstock When you ask someone for their opinion, you’re always risking the possibility that you’ll hear something you don’t like. Unfortunately, one woman decided she wanted a man’s perspective on the tattoo she got as a memorial to her late boyfriend, so she asked one of her guy friends. Let’s just say he didn’t hold back.
Not everyone can agree, even if they’re close. This can lead to some serious awkwardness. But maybe the real lesson is that good friends tell you their honest opinions, and if you ask, you have to be willing to hear things you might not want to.
A man noticed that his friend’s tattoo was causing other guys to stop pursuing her romantically.
In a Reddit post, a man shared the unfortunate truth he discovered about his friend’s dating prospects. “I’ve got a friend named Ula that is relatively new as I’ve only known her for four years,” he explained. “She has a tattoo on her chest just below her collarbone that says ‘Forever Brian’s.’”
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“She got it when she was quite young (early 20s) about 15 years ago when she was engaged to her first love who unfortunately passed away due to cancer, is my understanding,” he continued. “I don’t know the history beyond that it happened quite quickly and she got that tattoo after he passed away.”
What some people would see as a sweet tribute did not go over well with the other guys Ula dated. “I’ve been watching her date for about four years now and that tattoo has consistently been a sticking point for the three [to] four or so guys that I’ve seen her with,” he said. “Each one has said it differently but they’ve all said that they’d like her to get it removed or that it makes them uncomfortable enough to leave the relationship when it got serious.”
This man got stuck in the middle of the tattoo drama when his friend and his wife demanded to know his opinion.
“Last night, Ula and my wife were having a girls’ night together and I was downstairs enjoying some Baldur’s Gate 3 when they both came down and asked for a ‘guy’s opinion’ and harassed me until I put the controller down,” he said. “I warned them, repeatedly, that if they ask me for a ‘guy’s opinion’ that I would provide one but it might be hurtful.”
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Apparently, Ula and his wife weren’t too worried about whatever he would say, because they asked him to go ahead and share his thoughts. He drew an analogy using the film “Titanic.” He pointed out that Rose’s husband, who lived a full life with her, was an afterthought compared to Rose’s first love, Jack, whom she lost when the ship sank. And, because of that, Jack is who she was thinking of when she passed away.
“I looked at Ula and said, ‘That tattoo is written confirmation that they’re not your forever person,’” he continued. “‘Which is fine when you’re casually dating, but what you’re indirectly asking for when things start to get serious is if they’re willing to sign up to be your Rose’s husband.’”
The man's friend could have still honored her late boyfriend in another way.
Raleigh, North Carolina-based tattoo artist Ember Seaman offered some sage advice on the topic of couples’ tattoos. “When getting a couple’s tattoo, it’s a good consideration to not put someone’s name, birthday, or initials,” she said. “Instead, do something symbolic that is meaningful to you and pretty to the rest of the world.”
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Things like names and birthdays are incredibly personal, and can imply the relationship isn’t really over even after its end. Symbolic art would be much easier for a new romantic partner to live with.
In Ula’s case, a name might not be so bad, considering the heart-wrenching way she lost Brian. It might be the “forever” that is offending other guys. That word is basically a signal that she will never move on from Brian, and her heart will always belong to him.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
