It was my 16th Birthday.
At A Glance Author Sean Contact ghostofyork@hotmail.com When A year ago Artist Collin Studio Collin's Location Wolfville, Nova Scotia I already had my lip pierced (by my friend Ashleigh) and I've almost always known I wanted to get heavily into body modification. My parents were ridiculously against it and every little thing I tried to do to convince them otherwise was in vain.
I really actually felt unnatural in my own body, every time I looked in the mirror I would see someone not me, as if I was missing something; missing a lot of things actually. I knew that I needed piercings (more than just my lame old lip) to make myself feel natural in my own skin. I brought it up to my parents and they just scoffed, I asked what they would do if I got my septum done, my dad got angry and in a solemn voice my mom just said "I would kick you out of my house" Little did I know that's what would happen...
So back to the day I had it done, I was so pumped. I couldn't care less what my parents had to say about it, I was getting it done for me and besides; fear shouldn't be a means to suppress your child's freedom. Anyways, so I was with my friend Ashleigh, (who has more facial piercings than I can count.) and we were going up to visit my friend Nigel at Acadia, and to get my septum done at Collin's down the street of course. Ashleigh and I arrived at Collin's (before stopping at Nigel's) and luckily they could take me right then and there. So I immediately took the chance. I was so nervous and excited at the same time. I knew that this establishment had a really good reputation and all the piercings that they did to Ashleigh turned out amazing, I was just scared for the pain (I know, I know, I'm a big wuss).
At first, obviously since I was only 16 I had to sign a form, I was with Ashleigh's parents (whom we told them they were mine) and I lied and said I was 18...Collin told me to go into the washroom to blow my nose (which makes sense because who wants to touch my boogers) and then when I came out he was all prepared while I obviously was not. I went through with it anyways of course and sat down in the chair, I had Ashleigh hold my hand, as this was my first professional piercing.
He marked it with that purple dye, and then said something about how he doesn't like to use the septum clamps for some reason or another, I was to busy focusing on the needle than what he was saying. When he put the needle through it was the most pain I have ever endured in my life, I was sneezing, coughing and crying all at the same time and I had to stop him halfway through the whole ordeal and I accidentally dislodged the needle so he had to do it twice. FUN. I made it through though and Ashleigh's hand was pretty much broken from squeezing it so tight. I actually remember being really embarrassed because I made such a fuss but Amanda (Collin's associate) assured me it was normal and there was nothing to worry about. So I payed them and left.
So here goes the real fun part of the story. After visiting with Nigel a bit I went back home where my older brother who was 18 at the time saw it all he said was "nice nose". I went immediately to bed hoping to deal with my parents in the morning about it, I was horribly wrong. Apparently my brother told my mom what happened and she came bursting into my room. She was screaming and yelling and spitting fire pretty much.
She told me that I was not allowed to leave my room (not even for school to eat or to use the washroom) until my father got home from his trip to Florida (he's in the military so he flies to a lot of places randomly). Now, my room is directly across from my parent's so I can hear EVERYTHING going on in there. It just so happens that I heard her talk to police officers about if she has the right to give me an ultimatum: take out the piercing or be kicked out of the house. The officer told her she technically does have that right but it was only a piercing which carried on to a full on argument between my mom and some police officer. Anyways, so I also heard her tell my dad over the phone that when he comes home they would actually give me that ultimatum.
I beat them to it. When the bus came for school a couple days later I jumped out my window and ran as fast as I could to it. A few months passed and my parents didn't do anything, in this period I also had my snakebites, my ears gauged to 4, my bridge, and a surface piercing on my wrist done.
I was homeless for about 6-7 months and nobody took me in because they felt I brought it unto myself. But they just didn't understand that I needed those piercings to feel whole, to actually look in the mirror and be pleased with myself. It was all in vain anyways, after about 2 months of barely eating and drinking anything I was left with a choice: take out my piercings and go home to a warm place with food (this was during November/December by the way) or I could most likely die.
I went home and took out all my piercings, I was depressed, suicidal and emotionally raw. But I had food in my stomach and a bed to sleep in.
On my 17th birthday my parents FINALLY let up and let me get my bridge and medusa done. And eventually I also got my septum back (this time at 12g which I plan to stretch). So this story actually does have a happy ending. Hurrah!