Ami starts out with Alex, the "Italian Stallion" who wants a large face covering his whole back. He wants something between a Buddha face and the Virgin Mary - something peaceful that will remind Alex of his mother. Because it's so large, the picture can't be sent through the thermal-fax, so Ami has to freehand the design directly onto Alex's back. Then they have to do the entire outline in one sitting or they'd lose the pattern. Alex sits through the outline and then comes back later for the shading. Ami calls him a "pussy cat" when Alex can only sit through half of the shading before he reaches his threshold. He comes back for the rest of the shading later and ends up with an awesome backpiece.
Yogi gets an ultimatum about his drawing skills - either step it up, or step out. Yogi admits he needs to work harder, but it's difficult when he's trying to balance out his apprenticeship with a new wife and kid that also need him. Ami brings in this "fake skin" and wraps a piece of it around his arm and tells Yogi to tattoo him. Yogi's linework is really shaky and inconsistent. Garver gets frustrated with Yogi, but also offers to help him out by working with him one hour a week on his drawing in exchange for some bass guitar lessons. During his first guitar session, Garver learns that Yogi is most comfortable playing guitar in his underwear and that it helps him "feel" the music better. He suggests Yogi try drawing in his underwear as well. Yogi takes this suggestion and does some of the best drawing he has ever done - even Ami is impressed.
Darren gets some shattering news - one of his best friends, Mark, has been found dead. Understandably, he is having trouble focusing and reschedules all of his tattoo appointments except one - a backpiece on another friend, Megan, who also knew Mark. The piece he's doing on Megan's back is a phoenix, a symbol of strength and courage, which the two friends gain strength from as they try to deal with the loss of their friend. On another day, Darren also tattoos Mark's brother, Ryan - a "skateboard relic" with accompanying symbolism that appropriately displays Mark's zest for life and hard-core style.
A dancer by the name of Yazyth enters the shop with ambitious ideas for a tattoo that just aren't realistic. After working on the design for a while, Nuñez decides he really needs to bring her ideas into more do-able proportions. When he encourages her to take some time and think about what she really wants, she becomes very whiny and says that if she doesn't get the tattoo today she will end up not doing it at all. Nuñez tries to reason with her and she says that he's pressuring her. He's very nice and assures her he's not trying to pressure her or sway her, and she ends up getting a simple cross design with a crown of thorns.
Garver, usually the more mature member of the group, throws a small tantrum when Sue walks in wanting a fairy tattoo. Garver says that the "dreaded fairy" is the thing that "every tattoo artist is super bummed about". Oblivious to Garver's distate for her tattoo choice, Sue explains her fairy-blowing-bubbles design describes her feelings she went through during a cancer scare when she had two thyroid tumors. The bubbles show 3 faces - one worried, one crying and one happy. Garver is pleased that it at least has some meaning to Sue and admits it's all worth it when he sees how happy she is with her fairy when he is finished.
Ami, on the other hand, is happy when Klaudia walks in and asks him to do a fairy for her. She had a miscarriage and wants a fairy holding a shamrock. The shamrock will represent her baby - something she is holding onto but realizes she also needs to let go. Ami inks a beautiful fairy on Klaudia's hip and doesn't miss an opportunity to flirt with this girl he is clearly attracted to. He lets her know that his relationship stamina may be short (3 months max) but his sexual prowess isn't lacking.
Miami Ink airs on Tuesday nights, 10/9c, on The Learning Channel.
