It has become The New Norm:  every time I walk down the street, some passerby will call out:

As if I didn’t already know.

Crossing the street at Broadway and 96th in search of kale during an apparent UWS Kale Shortage Crisis, a gentleman with a fair amount of his own ink sidled alongside me.

“Nice tattoo!”  quoth he.

“Thanks,” I murmured, as if I didn’t already know.

“How long did it take?  Five hours?”

“More like four,”  I replied.  “But good guess!”

“I’m an artist myself,” he boasted, puffing out his chest.

“Really?”  Now he had my attention.  “Where do you work?”

“Oh, I used to work out of a studio but now I just sort of, bounce around, you know, I come to you,” he stammered.  “Look me up on Facebook.  Saul, S-A-U-L, Morales.”

“Okay, sure, great.”  AS IF.  “Thanks!  Have a good night!”  I waved and took off speedily up Broadway.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Saul Morales, Door-to-Door Tattoo Artist.