Episode 7: Chapter 8: The Sleeve Part II: Framily

“My friend Mark was unlike anyone else I’ve ever met. He grew up in a hyper-religious and conservative family but was one of the most open-minded and accepting people I’ve ever known. He was a Marine, and by the time I met him he had served two tours in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He’d also been in a serious relationship with a registered member of the Communist Party, which always cracked me up.
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“For the record, I thought Mark was a total jackass on first sight. He wore tweed suit jackets with suede elbow patches to school every day. He laughed at his own jokes—a lot. I was perpetually rolling my eyes at him. I also wasn’t impressed by the Marine thing — I hated the war in Iraq. I was scared to death of losing my friends who were on active duty overseas throughout the conflict.

But Mark always had thoughtful questions and responses to lectures which intrigued me about him. After a while, I softened up.”

Excerpt From

Skin in the Game: The Stories My Tattoos Tell: An Intimate Author Experience: Episode 5

Written and performed by Kelly J. Mendenhall

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