Sergei: Tattooed Youth

Sergei was crossing the Moscow River near the Moscow Financial District via a pedestrian bridge when I passed him. He immediately caught my eye as his face and hands were covered in tattoos that he said he designed himself. Sergei said he was turning 18 next month, unemployed, but looking at any job offers. I asked what he would like to do, mentioning that the tattoos would limit the jobs he could find. ”I would like to become a model,” he answered. He said chest and legs were also covered in tattoos and that his brother was living in Brooklyn….not far from my home.