At A Glance Author Andy McArdle Contact titaniumscarecrow@hotmail.com When A week ago Artist Jesus Suave Studio Dimond Bar Punctures Location Dimond Bar, CA As a kid I always thought piercings were over the edge and they were not for a "normal person like me" but I always admired them. When I came of a little higher age, I thought they were just awesome, I could imagine the people looking a me and some even admiring me for themselves. Year or so later the deep passion to have metal in my face came up, and I knew I must have one, or 2, or maybe 18, I wasn't sure, all I knew is that I HAD to have them.
So I started to look into it, and figured out all the laws and all the care procedures, and thought hey...this will be a breeze. While finding out the above I also had to make a decision in which I wanted pierced. Finding the most accepting piercing (in my eyes) to be the normal labret, I was sold. But looking into the crowd, I suddenly saw stacks upon stacks of studs, rings, and odd shit. I still wanted a labret, but at the same time be different. Looking into it a bit more, It was not too big of a discovery, maybe just maybe I could get more, I took a sharpie and drew 2 little dots right in the center of my lip, from that day forward the smile never left my face when I thought of my master plan.
My parents sending me to Denver, CO was a very bad thing, there liberal, their conservative, and they are Olympians in the art of bitching. But when I got $100 of spending money, it hit me like a brick...this could be a very good thing.... I spend 11 days there going thrifty, and come home with $70. Sleeping that night, the only thing I could think of is getting home from school the next day and going right out to Diamond Bar.
After school the next day, I was so happy, $70 in my pocket, and a dream in my head. Ten to fifteen miles go by as quick as a fly could beat its wings, I was there, and there I will stay until the damage is done.
On the outside this place could be more appealing, but hey, I thought "don't judge a book by its cover." Walking in it smells of a doctors office (good sign), I see a nice clean while floor (looking good), and I see these rows of sterilization machines, forgetting the names, and he's unloading one full of my ideal labret stud (ding ding ding, this is the place). Then I see a book of pictures, I assume previous clients, looking into it I see good work, promising work, and some sick work....that is the best part. He even had a dedicated couple pages for his work on himself, I was expecting some genital piercings, and that's cool and all, seen one seen them all right? That's what I thought too. Try a 00g barbell as a Prince Albert, and enough steps on a ladder to make him sink in a pool......Touché my good man Touché.
I get handed this form that the normal thing that says he's not responsible in the un-likely event of complications, good deal, ID #, birth date...all set. I had picked out the type of stud I wanted (a 3/8" 14g post with a cone on the end, soon to be blackline titanium, but for now...just stainless steel). As im getting led to the back room, a feeling of bliss came over me, knowing the feeling of a needle getting pushed through my lip.... could it get any better? Sitting down, he washes his hands, puts on gloves, brings out all the supplies, and preps me. Taking those gloves off, he then puts another pair on and begins the marking process; this took about 15 minutes for the simple fact that I am picky as hell when it comes to semi-perminate things like this, and being my first piercing, I didn't want a single thing to go bad. As soon as that pair of gloves came off, I knew this would finally happen. Gloves go on, clamps after that, which by the way, felt kinda good, almost like a girl nibbling on my lip....ha...., but yea, he pulls the good ol' 14g hollow piercing needle out, lube goes on, and placement comes into play. Smile on my face, the needle shoots through my lip, with a pain that is comparable to no other, not so much dull as it is enjoyable. Stud goes in, and needle goes out, smile still remains.
Rinse and repeat.
Little dab of blood comes out of the second hole, nothing major, kinda cool looking, but all in all another painless procedure. Sitting there he looks at me, and says one word....."awesome", I knew it looked good after that. Picking up the mirror, I look into it and see something I have always wanted, and finally got.
Two labrets, one day, $70, and a happy ending. I think I just beat the shit out of every single love novel and movie out there.