Piercings really became "mainstream" in America about 5 years ago. It was about that time that I wanted a piercing. I was just starting Junior High School at the time. Because of the lack of self-confidence that I had, and being pretty low on the Junior High social hierarchy I didn't tell anybody that I wanted one. I though about it now and then but that was it.
At A Glance Author Jay_Man Contact Jaykaelin@hotmail.com When A month ago Artist Tony Dohme Studio Forever Tattoo Location Downtown Asheville, North Carolina After two years of that anguish, I cross the threshold into High School. I found my self higher up on the chain-of-command and with growing self-respect. When I was signing up for classes my freshman year, I signed up for N.J.R.O.T.C., and for you who don't know what that is, I was a cadet for the US Navy. So this put me in a uniform. I also made a very interesting friend. Everybody called him Goober. I think after the candy but I am not sure. The best way to describe Goober is a rebellious teen with very open-minded parents. He had a fondness for body piercings. He learned how to do most of them himself and for a small price he would pierce anybody (with certain limits on what he would touch, nothing really below the naval). I learned a lot about piercings from him over the next two years. I started thinking again about getting a piercing or two. The thing stopping me was the fact that I was very good in R.O.T.C., and promptly found myself a Petty Officer with talk that I was in the top 3 of my class to make Commanding Officer in two years. And my Major had no problem telling everybody what he thinks of males with piercings. I believe his words where "bunch of faggots with their ears pierced.". So that was kind of discouraging and I put the idea of a piercing out of my head.
Then one day my mom tells me she wants to move from New York to North Carolina where we had family. A few weeks later I found myself living in the South. When I enroll in school I decide to not rejoin R.O.T.C. because I have very leftist views. So I wanted to do everything I couldn't do in the past because of R.O.T.C. or just because I wasn't sure of myself. Because of this when school left out for the summer I started to grow a beard, let my hair grow past the ¼ inch crew cut that I sported for the past 4 years. Then one day when I was watching MTV2 they played Korn's "Got The Life" and that is the video that made me want a piercing oh so long ago. So after a few minutes of thinking about it I got up and asked my mom if she would let me get my eyebrow pierced and she said no with out any hesitation. After pleading with her for some time, she said nothing that will leave a scar on my face if I decide to take it out. So it was ear, naval, or tongue she said. I jumped at the c hance to get my tongue pierced. I called my aunt right away. She is very liberal, and a new age thinker. She is a firm advocate in the fact that it's your body, and you can do what you want with it. So she agreed to take me to see her piercer to get my tongue pierced.
I had more then enough time to think it over. The reason is because she said that we where going next weekend, for about 3 months. After reading about piercings, and some tribal cultures. Being only 16 years of age, I took my piercing as a rite of passage into manhood as many cultures did around the world before civilization destroyed that sacred practice.
So finally the day came. It was the Friday of a three-day weekend. My aunt picked me up around 5 to go to the mall where my mom worked. Then we all went to go have a nice steak dinner (last meal). Then it was off to see Tony. On the ride there the blood surged in my veins, flooded with adrenalin. Walking in the door of the shop my stomach was in knots. After filling out the needed forms and getting one of their businesses cards and saw that it had the BME "calm" icon on it. I have always liked the "calm" icon; the tranquil and serene look on his face constantly gave me these images of almost a state of nirvana attained by body modification. For some reason it gave me some peace. Tony walked into the front area. After talking with him for a few minutes he showed my aunt, and me into the piercing room in the back.
It was a very small room. It was very ornamented with small sculptures from Asia, with a cabinet that he had all his equipment, a small medical tray, and a large black chair. After seeing the chair I commented that it was very nice. He thanked me and said that he bought it from a gynecologist, which gave me a small laugh. I sat down in the chair, and my aunt started taking pictures (she took like 18 pictures, but I only remember about 5). He was taking out all then needed things, and was talking to me about what he was going to do, I asked a few questions in between the rinses. I was way to nervous to ask all that I wanted to. After laying out all his equipment. He asked if I wanted the Lidocaïne wipe, thinking of how I wanted it to be my rite of passage I said no.
After telling me that my webbing was very long, and told me that it had to be done on an angle. I think because of that, and me over-thinking about it is why it hurt. He then put the forceps on my tongue. They where somewhat uncomfortable. Then he took the needle and pressed it threw the bottom. I completely forgot about the forceps. I grabbed the bottom of the chair. I felt the needle break the top of my tongue. All I could do is stare at his large black septum keeper hanging from his nose. Then I heard "Tapper" and I felt it go into my tongue. Then he puts the barbell in and says, "It's almost done". I looked down to see him trying to screw the ball in but there is so much drool that he has to stop to wipe it off. Then after what felt like an hour in that chair, he removed the forceps, and I thumped back into the chair.
This unbelievable high came from all that adrenalin being pumped into my system, with nothing to hide it. I was in a state of enchantment for 10 seconds. Then my body when into a semi-shock. My face turned a pale white, I got very weak, and I dripped with sweat. He gave me a big glycols tablet to get my blood sugar level back up. Then I went over to the mirror to look at my new piercing. I feel in love with it right then and there. I made my way to the big leather couch they had in the back of the waiting room, and between the tattooing, and piercing rooms. The tattooer saw me and told me to lie down, and he got me a cup of water, and paper towel with rubbing alcohol on it. He told me to breath deep, and it really helped. After laying for some time and looking at the huge face of a Japanese girl in white make-up painted on the wall, and at all the tattoo on the wall I was about ready to go home.