Waiting is Worth It!

By Khyrrah Shepard, Lauderdale Lakes, Florida

Well, I all started when I was about 10 years old. The moment I laid eyes on my first navel piercing I knew it was for me. My parents knew as well but they never said I couldn’t get it until they realized how serious I was!

The years passed by and I was 15 years old. It seem as if every girls around me was popping up with navel piercings. So, I finally ask my mom to take me to the piercing place.

She said not until my 16th birthday

I figured that was okay since it was only a couple of months away. I patiently waited until my 16th birthday on during my annual birthday dinner I brought it up. She said no….again. I. Was. Pissed. I mean seriously, she couldn’t just let me know from the get go that she wouldn’t allow it?

She spouted some crap about me not being responsible enough and talked about how my second hole got in infected (pierced with a gun…at Claire’s! Never again). So I turned to my second line of offense. Good ole’ daddy.

I mustered up the courage to ask him and he had a fit! I didn’t know what else to do, both parents were out of the question. I told them that I was just gonna pierce it myself, and I seriously thought about it for all of two seconds (that’s how long it to me to regain my common sense). Then I thought about my local flea market since I knew they wouldn’t care about age.

I had to once again regain my common sense, they were terribly unsanitary. Eventually, I gave up for a few weeks, which turned into months and before I knew it I was seventeen! I once again ask my parents and they once again told me no. I’m not the type to go behind my parents back, but this was serious!

So I called up my god sister and she said….no. Grrrrr! Well, at least she had a good reason. She didn’t want to get caught in the middle if I got caught. Eventually I persuaded her and and Friday at around 12:30 p.m. we set off to the “mall”. Once get got to the tattoo shop/piercing parlor we were told that the piercer was at another location doing a tattoo, but would be over in about 30 minutes.

Was so happy I was there that I didn’t mind the wait one bit! 45 minutes into our wait my sister decided she wanted to get a third tattoo. I had no problem since she was doing me a favor anyways. One tattoo later and the man was still not there! So my god sister and i just chilled with two of the tattoo artists.

Four hours later the man FINALLY arrived! We went straight to the back (I signed no papers), we chatted for a bit, I picked out a red surgical steel barbell with beautiful stones on the tips, and I was ready to get pierced. He put this iodine stuff on me with a Q-tip, took the barbell out of the sterilized package, and opened the package with the needle in it. Everything was a one-time usage thing.

Then he marked me with a purple pen and told me to lay down and put triple antibiotic ointment. I did so, and when he was about to shove the needle though I told him that I had to use the restroom. He laughed and asked me if I was serious or stalling. When I started telling him that I was really nervous and explained to him how long it has been since I wanted this piercing, he shoved the needle through! It only felt like a prolonged pinch.

Then he put the ring in and presto chango! I had a brand new piercing for the world to see (when I want them to). The next day I went to a party and showed off my piercing. So far no infections, bleeding, or complications (knock knock on wood).

I love it and my parents still down know anything. I’m going shopping for belly rings with my best friend this Friday!

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