I had decided I wanted to get a fish. I had never really had to take care of any living thing before, except maybe some plants and most of them died, so a fish would be a big thing for me. The decision was impulsive; I was finally talked out of it on the basis that with all my classes and work I wouldn't have time to remember to take care of a fish. But on the drive home that day I still felt as if something was missing. Two minutes from home I had an idea and made a decision at the same time.
At A Glance Author Angel Contact Angel@bme.anon When A week ago Artist Jake Studio Cincinnati Tattoo and Piercing Location Cincinnati, OH For background there are some things about me you need to know. I do not have what most consider a flat stomach, I am curvy, I have stretch marks that have long ago faded to white scars, I do not wear belly shirts or "low rise jeans" I am not in the least bit interested in most girlie things but for some reason that day driving home I decided that I would be getting my belly button pierced before the day was over.
A few years ago, like most of my friends I attempted, with a sewing needle and ice, to self pierce my belly button, it sort of worked. But a few days later my mom found out and that was the end of that, she told me I didn't have a flat enough stomach to have my belly button pierced, I decided piercing it myself wasn't the best idea anyway.
For years I told my self I was too fat, even though my stomach was just barely not flat, from profile it formed a slightly curved line, then I went home from college for the holidays where I learned my friend who was much bigger than me had gotten her belly button pierced. I only thought about getting mine pierced for a few minutes that day, and returned home from college with the thought in the very back of my mind.
But why couldn't I get my belly button pierced? Over the years I had grown to like my body, it's the only one I'll ever get, so why should I hate it? A piercing would be something I would have to live with, and why should society's taboo of less than skinny girls having their belly button pierced get in the way of me having a piercing that would be for me. In short I didn't get pierced for anyone but myself.
Coming to the decision was the easy part, it took all of five minutes to decide, call my friend and ask her to come with me, and head toward Cincinnati Tattoo and Piercing. It was about a twenty minute drive and I didn't know exactly where it was but I lucked out and made it there at about 7:15pm, 45 minutes before they close.
I filled out the papers, still full of my decision and terribly excited. The guy behind the desk smiled and told me I was giggly, of course I was giggly I was about to have a fourteen gage needle stabbed into my stomach and I was actually excited about it! Jake, my piercer, had already begun setting up in the back room, and after showing my ID and choosing the curved barbell, he told me to come on back.
The whole process happened really fast for me. He asked me to take off my hoodie and lay on a red couch that looked like a massage table. I pulled up my tee shirt to expose my less than perfect stomach and my cute little belly button. I was still so excited, thoughts of all the girls I had know in High School who had had their belly buttons pierced went though my head, I remembered someone telling me that the clamp was the worst part and I mentally prepared for that.
Jake cleaned my belly button and the area around it with iodine and some other substance I forget the name of, then he dotted it with a marker and held up a mirror so I could see where it would be. Lovely, I said with a smile. He opened a package with the clamp in it and clipped it onto my belly. I remember thinking that it wasn't that bad and that had me even more scared about the actual needle. Ready? I closed my eyes, yes I was ready I was going through with this one way or another. He told me to take a deep breath and hold it. Then in a snap it was over and the needle was through. There was a brief moment of panic, at the thought of a piece of medal being jabbed through my skin and I wondered why I hadn't felt any pain, just a slight pressure.
After that he put the ring in and explained the aftercare, to tell the truth I wasn't really listening, I was too full of the fact that I had actually gone through with it, I felt so proud and excited. It was a good thing that he gave me a copy of the aftercare instructions, even being so kind as to write his name on them and underline the important parts. I practically hopped outside to my waiting friend, paid, and got into my truck.
As I drove off I was so proud of myself for not giving up on something I really wanted, something I had wanted for a long time. No one had ever told me it was OK to get your belly button pierced if you didn't have the body of a super model, for a long time that was exactly what I wanted them to tell me. I wanted the world to give me permission. Although it was an impulsive decision, for me it was an important one, it was me telling the world that I was aloud to love my body, even if it wasn't magazine cover material. Why should someone else dictate to me what was beautiful? I weigh over a hundred and fifty pounds, and my belly button is lovely and pierced, if you think that's disgusting then that's your problem, it's not like I'm flaunting it for the world: My piercing isn't for the world, it's for me.