In August 2008 I had the pleasure of meeting Lyle Tuttle (b1939), the most famous of the old-time American Tattooers and proprietor of the San Francisco Tattoo Museum. I gave him a photograph of myself for his collection, explaining that I greatly admired the old-time circus ladies and aspired to be like them.

Lyle looked me right in the eye and with a twinkle, said,

“Honey… I don’t think there is much money in it anymore.”

He did however, give me one of his special elongated keepsake one cent coins, so I did make a little cash out of it.