At A Glance
Author	P.J. O'Connor
Contact	pjoconnor@cox.net
When	Two years ago
Artist	Frank
Studio	Club Tatto
Location	Tempe A.Z.

My Zero Gauge

In July of 2004, 112 degree day as a mover in Phoenix Az., being the strange cat that I am I took it upon myself to go to the piercing shop that I've frequented in many months for them to bring the pain.

Heart racing, scared or excited I couldn't tell, walk through the door to Club Tatto. I decided to go for an eight gauge septum with the intent of getting down to a zero.

The piercer, Frank, was willing to do it for me. When he explained to me that to go large on my septum without it drooping down we would have to gauge it to a four within the first week. Familar with painful gauging, I had a two gauge toung ring for a while, I was like fuck it. I could never get my tounge to a zero gauge so I will try this one out for size.

Head leaned back on the table with my best friend looking on, deep breath, exhale. Loud ass popping sensation but nothing that I couldn't handle. Look up in the mirror and bam I did that shit no going back now.

"you must be an alcholic with all that bleeding" said frank

"Shit man I'm Irish what do you expect"

"Today is Monday, Come back wensday for the stretch"

Teary eyed, not crying I'm not a bitch, I sniffled and said "Cool man"

Not much sleep that night, even on the pills I popped couldnt sleep to well. Everytime I went to kiss my girl, brushed my teeth, ate, smiled and pretty much and facial movement was fucking excruciating.

Wensday I had a shitty day, my girl was a bitch in my sick own little way I was looking forward to the stretch. Between all the caked blood and cheese smell I was ready for him to run a clean piece through there anyway.

"Deep breath, exhale"

Hot burning sensation in my nose made my back arch a little. My front teeth went numb like I did a big ass rail of coke.

"Theres your six" he said."I'll see you friday." Then he proceeds to tell me to blow my nose in my hands in the shower to loosen up the blood clots and use that sea salt he gave me. Fuckin nuts I couldn't run the salt and soap through the piercing it wouldnt even budge.

Friday comes I was in my work truck some asshole cut me off and Im right in front of Club Tatto. Wanting to do it later I was like fuck it, as I so often do. Teeth still numb from Wensday Frank lubes the four taper.

"That mutherfucker looks huge" I said.

"This ones gonna be a little tight" said Frank

"Deep breath, exhale."

The pain from the inital piercing and first stretch had nothing on this one. No feeling in my teeth once again.

"Got to wait a six weeks before we can do it again" He said.

"Thats fine with me." mumbling tryin not to move my mouth so much at that point that was killing me.

The Next month Was so painful, I was popping vicodin like crazy. My girl got distant, or I was, from the lack of kisses and oral because of the fact that anything rubbing against my face even ever so slightly made my eyes water and I would wince like a little bitch.

The pyrex plug that he used to hold the hole was so tight I could'nt spin it even with provon lubing it up.

I go in a month and a half later and Frank had told me that it was still not ready for the stretch so I buy jewelery thinking that that was probaly it.

One more chance I had to try. Going to a two was a crazy stretch. When I got there he missed the jewelery and had to run the taper through again, fuck that hurt. Got there and was worried about not ever getting that elusive zero in.

Needless to say the stretch to a zero didn't work the first time. Frank advised me to wrap a piece of duct tape one layer shove it through, wait a week do it again. It took four layers and 4 weeks of red duct tape hanging out of my nose till I felt confident about him being able to get it through.

Two to a zero was the biggest jump yet I was told, never able to get a fucking zero in my tounge, bam finally I was there.

When I wear that piercing out in public I get the look where when you look at them they quickly look away. I get off on that shit.

Now that I have been at a zero for so long I'm kinda leaning to a double zero but I can barley breath around jewelery but god damn Frank did a kick ass job.