It hurt, but then it didn't!

At A Glance Author Dante Contact BadJigga02@aol.com Artist Sherry Studio Zebra Tattoo Location Berkeley, California

I recently started my first job at Safeway, and there are 3 people there that have their tongues pierced. Although I had been thinking about getting my tongue pierced since last year I never said anything to my mom or dad. But one night at work I was talking to one of the girls that has hers pierced and she was telling me all about it, and I thought "I might as well ask, and see what they say!" I went out to the phone booth and called my mom and just asked her "Mom, can I get my tongue pierced" I expected for her to say "Hell no!", but she said "We'll talk about it when you get home" So I'm rushing trying to make time fly by so I can get out pf there and get home.

When I finally got home, it was pretty late and I have to admit I was pretty tired, so we agreed to talk about it in the morning. That next morning, we talked about it and I told her that I had been wanting one for a long time but never came to her, and since I have a tattoo, it's only right I have my tongue pierced! So we said that we would go the next day. And someway along the line I convinced her to get hers done too!:-)Keep in mind I haven't told my dad yet, and neither has my mom!! I love that bond we have! LOL. Oh, yeah let me just tell you a little bit of history on my mom and getting to places on time-- Every single concert I've been to her we've been late, well except for one... But anyway she always finds a way to make us late for important stuff.

And since we don't have a car right now, we took the bus and God, let me tell you, the bus would be late on the day tht I am going to get my tongue pierced! So we FINALLY get on the bus, thankfully we just have one to catch! We're on the bus and I'm sitting there mad because I'm thinking we're going to be late, but somehow my mom becomes "friends" with the bus driver and convinces her to basically get there as soon as possible. Thank you, mom! We're finnaly there!!!!! I thanked the bus driver so much before we got off.

So we walked in and I've been to Zebra's many times so I'm not new to it. We're the next customers and we tell them that we want to get our tongues pierced, and being that I'm only 16, she had to sign some paper giving her permission. So we go to the back with Sherry,and she tells us to take a seat, okay, now I'm a little nervous! Once again i convinced my mom to go first, and surprisingly, she did. I'm sitting there examing her face as she sticks her tongue out and Sherry exams the web under her tongue to make sure she doesn't have any difficulties,a fter that she got a toothopick and some white stuff (Looked and tasted like toothpaste)she placed a dot on her tongue and asked for my mother's approval and once she gave her okay, she placed a clamp on her tongue and once again made sure that it was out of the way of the web, and then she got this needle, and very quickly stuck it through my mom's tongue. Her facial expression was that of "Shit!" Sherry put the barbell in and screwed it in! Oh yeah and gave her a soda.:-)

I'm next!! befor I went I asked my mom did it hurt and of course she said "No" So I sit in the chair stuck my tongue out and closed my eyes! OUCH! I wanted to say but I just sat there as tears came to my eyes! "Oh, that's it?" Acting like it was nothing. LOL. I tried to close my mouth and it felt very weird because the barbell was larger than it normally would be in order to let your tongue have enough room to swell up. How? I have NO idea, but my mom is talking perfect and I'm drooling and slurring my words. And then she make sfun of me! LOL, But it's all good.

Unlike everyone else I didn't suck on that much ice or take any medicine except for Glyoxide. But please take my advice and eat all your favorit foods before you go and make sure that you can go without them for atleast a week!! I knew that I wouldn't be able to eat, but God! i was kinda hungry so I ate... wait, after I got it done that day I didn't eat nothing, but luckily I ate before I went! The next day at work I ate yogurt and drunk a lot of water! Another bit of advice, if you have to talk to the public a lot you probably should wait until your days off or a vacation because you will sound kinda slow! LOL. Surprisingly no one at work really noticed it, until I talked but then it was only because you could see it a little bit when I said certain words.

Somehow I managed to get through the first week! I immediately went to get my barbell shortened! Ahh... relief! Now, I can eat comfortably, and now talk right! I got it done on June 14, and now I feel comfortable with it. Oh, yeah did I tell you that through all the slurring, my dad still doesn't know!!! Now, my next mission: Another tattoo!!