Ears pierced!

Back in January I had my ears pierced.  Yes, really.  I know.  Why, what happened and the reactions?

Why?

Quite a few people have asked me this.  They have probably wondered why a seemingly sensible, boring, careful, level headed bloke like me should have his ears pierced.  Especially at my age.

Does everything we do have to be logical?  Can’t we break out of those straight jackets every now and then?

What happened, what was it like?

I booked an appointment a week ahead at one of those tattoo and piercing studio places, to have it done properly.  When the day came I apprehensively drove there and reminded myself it wasn’t too late to back out.  En route I stopped at a cashpoint machine for the necessary cash and again I reminded myself it wasn’t too late to turn around.

I got there.  A handful of staff were milling around, each with their own multiple piercings and tattoos galore as they got ready for their day’s work of making little holes in people or stabbing ink into their customer’s skin.  They looked at me, politely smiling in a quizzical way, maybe puzzling at this very ordinary conventional bloke looking to put his ears on the line.

Paperwork completed, then I was shown into a brightly lit room with a medical couch and a tray of forceps and other torturous looking equipment.  There were lots of little drawers on the walls and smell of antiseptic everywhere (which I could even smell outside the shop!).

My ears were marked with a little spot using some ink on something which looked like a cocktail stick.  Looking in a mirror I gave the okay nod in approving the right position.  Next I was lying down and a clamp held my earlobe while the needle went through!  I can tell you it was a relief, I was expecting much worse than the split second “ouch”.  Easy peasey.

Next followed some fiddling with my titanium “labret” jewellery which was inserted into the hollow needle and pushed from back-to-front, then a little ball was screwed tightly onto the front of the earlobe.

While all of this was going on, the care procedure was explained and all of a sudden my other earlobe had the same experience.  I looked in the mirror and could hardly believe what had just happened.  All done.  Stunned.  I half expected people to stare as I walked along the street.  Nobody did, after all, it’s no bid deal, is it.

My ears naturally felt pretty sore to begin with and I resisted the temptation to touch them or fiddle with my new titanium.  I remember waking up the next day while it was still dark and I just lay there completely still, not moving an inch.  I thought to myself “did I really get my ears pierced?”. I felt my ears and sure enough I had.  I just couldn’t believe it but inwardly smiled to myself.

The reactions!!!!

Only a few people have commented so far.  Most people are either too polite  or stunned or simply lost for words, not sure whether they should say anything or not.  I really am the most unlikely person to do this.

One of my relatives said “what do you want to have that done for, it doesn’t suit you”.  That was at my birthday meal (see previous post) and I replied “this is where you say something about me being an independent, edgy thinker and to thank me for paying for your meal”.  My cousin, who was just within earshot, immediately piped up with “you’re such an edgy person Doug, and thank you for buying lunch for us all”.  Correct answer, I thought.

Another friend asked if I had lost a bet.  Another said he was shocked and would need time to recover while someone else said I was a dark horse.  Two have asked if I’m entering the world of tattoos next.  The answer is no, absolutely not.

Perhaps the nicest comment was someone saying “oh it’s Doug being Doug”.  I like that.

I am now 5 weeks further on, still in the initial healing phase I am told, though to be honest they do feel very settled in.  I quite like the little titanium studs, although the post running through my ear lobe needs to be shorter now (having it changed is all part of the deal).

So there you go.  I have two little holes in my ears, 1.6mm to be precise. To be honest, I don’t know whether this is a passing phase but for now I’m really enjoying them.

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Update, now 10 weeks on.  They feel perfectly healed but the piercing studio tell me I should wait at least four months before changing from the labret studs.  Everywhere else on the internet it says 4-8 weeks.

I have taken them out for a couple of minutes, to have a look and am a bit concerned at the size of those holes – you can see right through them  I suppose they will close up if I decide they’re not for me any more?

Generally no comments from other people, although if I bump into a friend I’ve not seen for a while they tend to do a “double take” and not say anything.  Either way, I like them and really pleased I had them done.  I like the edgy look, especially as I’m the most unlikely person to get my ears pierced!