It wasn't planned, just something spur of the moment. My friend wanted to head down to Under the Needle to get something pierced. The trip was intended for him, and for me to start stretching my ears. Somehow though, I ended up on the brown leather dentist style chair, and I was the one with butterflies in my stomach. With friends standing around me and music to focus on in the background, the small room didn't seem like such a terrifying place despite the knowledge that in just a few moments my ears were going to be cut into, not just stretched, scalpelled.
At A Glance Author MystykGirrl Contact MystykGirrl@bme.anon When A week ago Artist Nick Studio Under the Needle Location Seattle, Washington As Nick, my piercer, gathered his tools to start the incisions that would bring my ears from their 'normal' size pierced holes to a 0 gauge, I looked around the room that was blocked in by the people that were there to watch. There were mirrors on both sides and the effect reminded me of fun house mirrors at a carnival. My reflection just kept going and going and going. All the needles and scalpels were packaged neatly in their sterile plastic wrapped containers and they glistened under the fluorescent lights. It was nerve racking to see the objects that would soon be changing the structure of my ear as I knew it. My eyes were diverted from the tools when my friends started laughing at something behind them. I couldn't see it but I laughed along with them just to feel the relief of having something else on my mind aside from the increasing knot being tied in my stomach. I decided right then that I was no longer going to pay attention to the instruments that were goin g to be used during the procedure.
Music was playing in the front room just loud enough so that I could make out the words. It wasn't calm music. It reminded me of the first time I was in a mosh pit and the crowd was pushing in from all sides, yet somehow the music was soothing to hear. It was a focus point. Something to draw my attention away from my fears. I just closed my eyes and allowed the melody to sink into my head and drown out anything else that was going on. That is until I heard the wrapper for the scalpel rip open. It was time. There was no turning back now.
I opened my eyes to see all of my friends standing silently like Mimes in shock. It wasn't comforting. A second ago they were laughing, singing, and telling me everything was going to be okay. Now it felt as though if anyone were to breath the world would crumble. My ears were already marked in purple ink to make sure everything was even and the clamp was on my ear. Nick grabbed the scalpel and started towards my left ear. I sucked in and just before I felt the metal touch my flesh he drew back and started talking to someone in the audience behind him. My heart stopped. The laughter began again and the race horse in my heart began to slow it's pace. Again, Nick turned back towards me and started to place the scalpel next to my ear. This time the cut was made, blood began to drip down the side of my neck and only stopped where my shirt could absorb the liquid. The look on the faces in front of me said it all, and I knew that looking in the mirrors next to me was o ut of the question no matter how badly I wanted to see what was going on. I I wanted a glass of water. Something to cool me down, I was hot from being so nervous and I still had one more ear to go.
The left ear went the same way. As soon as both ears had been cut and the metal tapers were inserted creating a hole large enough to fit the jewelry that had been chosen. Nick slipped the first clear glass tunnel into my right ear and despite the dark red circle that was still formed around the hole from the blood it was a beautiful thing. The left ear was just as fabulous. Only 15 minutes had gone by but it felt like it had been an eternity.
My ears we automatically where I wanted them, without the pain, and cost of slowly stretching them. Some people have said that I was stupid to get my ears scalpeled to such a small gauge. I however, am very, very happy with the holes in my ears.
So far they haven't been soar at all. They get crusty on the backs and a little weepy, but nothing a hot salt soak wouldn't cure. Now it's time to start on my left ear project to balance out the right ear and I will finally be on my way. This was truly the start of something beautiful.