Week One; Day Four

[arabbitholeofwander]

CHARACTER: Marvin Sing (OC); 32 WORD COUNT: 539 words TENSE: Third Person (Blog Style) "YOU RUN A TATTOO PARLOR. EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS, THE SAME CUSTOMER COMES IN, ALWAYS REQUESTING THE SAME TATTOO - AN ADDITIONAL TALLY MARK ON AN EVER-GROWING CLUSTER OF TALLY MARKS." In his past, he was known for hurting the people around him. These days, this former inmate has had a change of heart and has made it his mission to do good in the community. How, you may be asking? Well, it’s simple – by helping stray animals find their forever homes. In 2012, Marvin Sing was convicted of multiple counts of burglary and assault all caused, he says, by his addiction to methamphetamine. “I was deep into addiction and would do anything to get meth,” he said to us, as he bathed Cocoa, a red bloodhound mix who he rescued from a puppy mill just two weeks ago. “I burned a lot of bridges with family, friends, and people in the community in general. I just want them to know that I am sorry and to make amends as much as I can.” Sing was released from prison after five years in 2017. As part of his recovery during his stint, he made a list of every person who he says he hurt during his time under the influence. “There were 23 people that I knew I had affected deeply in some way, so when I came out of jail…I wanted to do something to fix some of the hurt I had caused. Most of them would not speak to me and I eventually got frustrated. That’s when I found Lucia on the side of the road and I figured out how I could help this town.” Lucia was a 3-year-old Boston Terrier with severe mange, fleas, and ticks. After an attack from a bigger dog, she was laying on the side of the road in grave condition. “I had no money but I brought her into the local vet anyway. I begged the doctor to help her and told him I would do anything to pay him back for his kindness. He helped her and I spent the next week cleaning out dog cages and doing what I could to help pay back the money it cost to help her. He helped me to find her a good home and now she is thriving with a family that actually loves her. “ Now, Sing is known for his efforts to save and rehome animals in need. He spends his free time at the veterinary clinic, doing odd jobs to pay for the doctor’s services. Whenever there is a stray animal in need, he is the first one to get a call and he never turns out a helpless animal. Each and every time he saves a new dog, he takes pride in it and celebrates with a tattoo at my shop. “Right now, I have 59 tally marks tattooed on my arm – one for each dog I have saved with the first 23 in honor of those I hurt before I got clean. Right now, my average is one per week. It’s a lot of hard work and leaves me without a lot of free time but it’s worth it. I hope, by doing this work, people will forgive me for the wrongs I have caused in the past and hope to let them know that this is my new passion – not the drugs.” Congratulations, Marvin. Mission accomplished.