While I was sitting in the lobby of Skin Works, I kept thinking about the whole waiting process. I am generally a patient person in public because I know what it is like having to work with everyday folk, but there is something half-maddening about having to wait in a tattoo parlor. Thinking of William Burroughs caused me to smile: "The client will crawl through a sewer and beg to buy." Perhaps I am slightly addicted to body modification. The whole scene is rather frustrating though. I am 17 years old, so my mother must sign for me and then wait with me. She does not want to be there, and I really do not feel comfortable because she is not comfortable. Yes, I am selfish and impatient, so I bug her to go with me.
At A Glance Author Ell Dee Contact grungeisinmyhead@yahoo.com When A week ago Artist Mickey Hunter Studio The Skin Works Tattoo Shop Location Bossier City, Louisiana I wrote my first experience a couple of year ago about my left conch. (http://www.bmezine.com/pierce/01-ear/A11030/earconw5.html) I had a bit of trouble after that. My right conch was eventually punched out to a 2ga, but it would not heal properly. After that, I was quite discouraged. Both my right and left ears became irritated because of O-rings, and I finally just took the 6ga ring out of my ear. The 2ga and 6ga holes healed up. I relaxed and stretched both lobes; each lobe has a 2ga jade plug.
After I graduated from high school in December, my mother agreed to sign for me. First, I chose to take care of the scar tissue that the 2ga conch punch left behind. I liked the way the scar looked because it was kind of indented on the backside of my ear (I also like the memory of my first punch), so I wanted to have a hole that would fit inside of the preexisting scar tissue. I went in the shop with my mom; however, I was unprepared. I was unaware that I needed my birth certificate, so I turned a nice shade of red and my mother ended up talking to Mickey and setting up a time for me to go in by myself. (I seriously get really frustrated. Hopefully the process will be easier after I become "of age.") An hour and a half later I was back in the shop and in the chair. The scar tissue was pierced with an 8ga needle and a green 8ga plug was inserted. It was fairly painless unlike the first time I had it punched. It was a great feeling nonetheless. It was almost as if I could se e the needle going in and ripping through the skin. There was little blood involved. Mickey asked me if it hurt, but I could only mumble something unintelligible. I think I said, "uhhh. I don't know."
While I was looking in the mirror at Skin Works, I was tempted to ask him to even me out and pierce my other ear. I waited though. The healing process for the 8ga hole lasted about two days. There was nothing to it. I rinsed it with a bit of salt water once, and then I just left it alone. No problem. I went ahead and put an 8ga curved barbell in it on the third or fourth day.
I waited about one month before I mentioned to my mother about going back to "even me out." I wanted a 4ga hole in my left ear though. It is kind of a joke really, a joke that I alone find funny. Eventually I want to have a negative sign tattooed behind my right ear and a positive sign tattooed behind my left ear (because "human beings are positive, negative, positive, negative..."). It will work out that: 8-2=6 and 4+2=6, so they will be balanced. Haha.
It was one rainy Saturday afternoon that I had planned to spend cleaning up and organizing my room. My mother mentioned that she was going into town, so I said, "Do you want to take me by Skin Works?" She replied, "No." I did not have to beg her to take me; she simply said "ok" after a minute. So, in a jiffy I got ready and we went to town. We drove by Skin Works and it looked like they were closed and their sign said closed, so I said, "Let's just forget it." My mother saw a guy standing behind the counter inside, and she decided to try the door. She hopped out of the vehicle and opened the door and walked inside. I stayed sitting in the car. I am fairly shy and like to avoid awkward situations like pulling on a door and it being locked- I trust signs that read "Closed." She got back in and said that they were open but the piercer would not be in for another 30 minutes. So, we went to the mall and she bought some workout clothes while I tried thinking optimistically.
We went back 35 minutes later, and there were already two people ahead of us in line. I really do not understand why they do not go by appointment. So, we waited and filled out some paper work. When it was finally my turn I was told that I would have to wait for Mickey because the female piercer does not work with dermal punches yet. My mother and I waited about an hour and a half total. She talked with some of the other girls there, and I just sat there trying to keep the color out of my face, the red color. When Mickey arrived, he eventually gave me the nod and told me to have a seat. I paid him. I chose a clear plug. He took a minute or two to mark where he was going to punch. All the while I was sitting face to face with a girl who was also getting some ear work done; we were dressed quite differently, and she was there with a group of her friends whereas I was there with my mother. It was odd, yes. Mickey turned me around, put the chair back, and I turned my head so th at I was facing the lobby. I could not see Mickey working which kind of sucked. The first time my ear was punched I was sitting straight up; this time I was leaned back with my head turned sideways. He told me to breathe in and then exhale. On the exhale he punched. WHEW! It was such an intense feeling. I could feel each layer. He had to do it more than once I think. My eyes were wide open the entire time. He said that he was going to stretch in order to keep it from bleeding (I don't think he used a flashlight by the way). It did end up bleeding a lot anyways though. Since my head was on its side, the blood flowed into my ear. I could not hear much out of my left ear for about five hours after the punch.
After the plug was put in, I sat up and Mickey cleaned up my ear a bit. He took the time to show me the cartilage that was punched out, and he gave me the pen that he marked my ear with. I looked in the mirror. Saw the redness. I was content. I was happy, glowing even. My mother and I left. I got changed for work at home, took a sandwich, and ate on the way to work. My ear was pretty red, so I let some of my red frizzy hair cover it up. Right at the end of my six hour shift at the movie theater, I felt the blood running out of my ear. Perfect timing!
So far, it has been a week. I have only rinsed it twice with salt water. The blood stopped after two or three days. The inside of my ear still has not been cleaned out though. I think most of the blood that flowed in has dried up or seeped out, but I had some sharp pains each time I would yawn or sneeze. I can hear out of it, so we're good. It has not hurt today. (progress, progress). I know better next time. The hole itself is not very sore. I took the O-rings off once already to look at it and to clean off some of the blood, but I have not bumped or tugged on the plug.
Now that my ears are set, I will probably be able to hold off until I turn 18 in April.