It all started when I was in about fifth grade. I saw my cousins best friend have her tongue pierced and I immediately was drawn to it. That night I went home to ask my mom if I could get my tongue pierced when I turned 16. She said that I'd have to talk to my father like she always says, so of course I went to go talk to my dad. He said that he'd see when the time came. I already knew it was a no, but I brought it up all the time.
At A Glance Author anonymous When Six months ago Artist Mikely Studio The black Pearl Location Kenosha, Wi My sixteenth birthday was only a few months away. That's when I really started laying it on my dad about letting me get my tongue pierced. I had already pierced my own nose when I was in eighth grade and he didn't freak out too bad so I figured this would be the same and he'd just tell me to go and get it done. I was completely wrong. He was hell bent on the whole situation. Absolutely not was the solid answer. He wasn't going to budge on it. I just kept bringing it up day after day and he'd just let me get it done professionally. Deep down I knew I would never do it myself because you could pierce a vein and die. (Which I found out is not a true fact by the way. It is possible but not very likely to happen. If you pierced a vein it would bleed eternally and you'd feel sick, most likely go to the doctor, and they'd help the situation before anything really bad happened.) Anyways, he threatened me many times about what would happen if I pierced it myself. He said he'd hold me down and rip it out, or put me up for adoption for doing something against his will. I knew he'd never do either one of those thins; he was just trying to scare me. I began to seriously think about having my friend Aleesia pierce my tongue in the bathroom at school. I know it sounds crazy but I was determined to have it done. She had pierced about seven other girls' tongues at school and nothing bad had happened. I still didn't understand why my dad kept telling me no. His only excuse was that it was gross. That's what made me mad the most. If he just trusted me there wouldn't be a problem. Not to mention the fact that he wasn't the one getting it. We are two completely different people and I'm my own person. I think I should be able to pierce myself or get tattoos if I want; it has nothing to do with him. My mom didn't have a problem with it. I had a new idea. I would have my mom try and talk my dad into it. If she didn't have a problem with it then he would let me get it done. Once again, I was wrong. Instead of getting my way, my dad still wouldn't give in. He would just tell my mom, "Thanks for making me the bad guy." He eventually got so unbelievably annoyed with hearing it that he'd just get mad when I brought it up and we'd end up getting in an argument. This went on until I turned 16.
About 3 months after I turned 16 I brought it up again. I figured maybe if I let it be for a little while he'd maybe consider it. Nope, once again, he told me he didn't want to hear about it. I thought at that moment there was nothing I could do. He'd never give in and I'd just have to wait until I turned 18. I had tried everything from telling him that its my body and I can do what I want, to reading and researching everything there is to know about it and giving him a speech on it. Then, one day about 3 days after that, he seemed to be in a relatively good mood. I thought it was the perfect moment to ask. I just busted out with it. His answer shocked the shit out of me. His exact words were, "I'm tired of hearing you piss and moan about it so jut go get it done, but your not going to some fly by place, your going to go to a good one." I was ecstatic! As soon as my mom pulled in the driveway I ran outside to tell her that he finally gave in.
That weekend my mom took me to get it done. We were looking around on the Internet for places to go. She found a small place called "The Black Pearl" in Kenosha that seemed to look good. That Saturday I got up bright and early. I got ready and then I had to wait. I was too excited. Ten o'clock finally rolled around so we hopped in the "crunk v" and were off to the piercing place. I was so nervous. I almost wasn't going to go threw with it. I decided when I walked threw the door that I was making myself do it after I waited so long. We walked in, signed the papers, showed our ID's, and the guy said it would just take a minute before the piercer was done with the girl before me. In no longer than a minute the girl was out and I was in. He sat me down in a chair that looked like something from the dentist office. I was asking all kinds of questions. I told him I was sorry for being so antsy I was just really nervous. He just laughed and told me not to worry about it, that there were many other people with way more questions than I had. He snapped on his black rubber gloves and I knew this was it. This is finally the moment I've been waiting for. He told me to stick out my tongue while he got the clamps to the thickness of my tongue. He clamped it and told me to take a deep breath and let it out real slow. As I let it out I felt a small pinch. Then I saw the barbell go in and the clamps were off. TADA! It was done. I panicked a little at first because my tongue was numb and I wasn't sure it was supposed to be. He said that it was normal. My tongue was bleeding a little bit but he gave me some water to rinse it out with. Then he gave me the instructions to care for it. They were real easy. Don't smoke, drink, kiss, or eat spicy food. The last instruction was to wash my mouth out with sea salt water after everything I ate or drank. I asked him about mouthwash. He told me that whoever told me that was wrong because it just takes longer to heal that way. He explained to me that it takes all the natural healing enzymes out of your mouth.
So that was my tongue piercing experience. To everyone that has stubborn parents, don't give up. If I could talk my dad into it, there's a way you can talk yours into it. It's worth it in the end.