wearing your heart on your sleeve

Many of you will know that I am intimately acquainted with the Greater Manchester Public Transport network. Three days a week I catch buses to and from college on my killer 3.5 hour round-trip commute.

Now there was nothing weird about the journey home the other day. As per usual I got on the bus (cold) and I sat until I reached my destination, reading a book. For my second leg I seldom read a book, primarily because it has become my custom to fall asleep.

A few minutes later, I woke up. I hadn't missed my stop, but there was a different passenger beside me than before we set off. He had a tattoo on the back of his hand. It depicted a cross (seemingly Christian) with a heart in the middle. Beside it was depicted a spider, spread across the skin on his varicose veined limb.

Having no shame (which happens when I've just woken up) I jumped straight in there with my inquisitive tone. "I like your tatoo..." (no response but a blank look) "What does it mean?" I said searching for some meaning.

I went away dissappointed. This guy didn't seem to know, and if he did, he wasn't going to tell me. He was closed. I didn't press him and we sat for the rest of the journey in silence. I got off the bus. I was disappointed.

So what do you think this tatoo means dearest reader?

And why did he not want to share?