Tattoo began in 1820 when William Smith, a young Scotsman, joined the American Army in Boston. By 1830, stationed in the Ohio River Valley, he becomes embroiled in a deadly conflict between settlers and Shawnee Indians, leading to his sentence to eternal life by the tribe’s chief. This course is symbolized by a unique ritual tattoo – a red poppy with a smoking skull on his shoulder blade. It said he would be rich and poor, he would have a family but could not keep it, and he would have a lot of people around him but feel profound loneliness.
Over the next two centuries, William experiences waves of prosperity and despair, his life a rollercoaster of unpredictability. He thrives in various industries, from steel to real estate, with fabulous success and personal losses. His eternal youth complicates every relationship, forcing him into a nomadic lifestyle, moving from Oklahoma to New York and even overseas to Morocco, Paris, Tahiti, and Rio de Janeiro.
Despite his successes and the excitement of historical changes—from the Industrial Revolution to the digital age—Williams’s inability to age isolates him.
As the 21st century begins, William’s life in Miami is marked by philanthropy but remains hollow at its core.
A chance, violent encounter, breaking the spell.