At A Glance Author Rachel Contact Rachel@bme.anon IAM delusionalfairy When Six months ago Artist Steve aka IAM: Mircro-wave Studio Cape Fear Tattoos Location Greenville, North Carolina I remember when I was in middle school, and getting your tongue and belly button pierced were just beginning to become a big trend. And for awhile there right along with all my "friends" I was gonna get my navel pierced just as soon as I was able to. But then I realized I wasn't like that, and as a matter o' fact I didn't want my navel pierced and I decided that I would never get it pierced.
My 18th birthday came and went along with various piercings and such and still no thought on a navel piercing. At one point I told myself that if I ever decided to get my navel pierced it was be large gauge, because 14 gauge just wouldn't do. But really it was just a side thought in my life and away it went along with other various things I would probably never do.
New Year's Ever 2005/2006 was approaching and it was decided that Meg and I would go to North Carolina to visit with Rob, Steve and the rest of the North Carolina Crew. It was certain that while we were there that I was getting a brand from Steve but other than that no other modifications were planned out.
It was New Year's Day and all of us were sitting around the shop being shop rats. Bored out of our minds; it was realized by me and Meg too late that Greenville sucked. So we were sitting there, in a piercing parlor so of course what did I think to do to get rid of some boredom? Get pierced, duh!
I went to Steve and said, "Pierce me Steve." And he asked what I wanted pierced, but I didn't really want anything pierced. I hadn't planned on getting anything done, so I thought to myself, what the hell...might as well get my navel pierced. But I decided I would only do it if Meg did it and Meg didn't want to. Which made me sad and finally I gave up and asked Steve to pierce my navel
I asked him for 10 or 8 gauge. But he sadly wasn't prepared to pierce a larger gauge navel, so I sucked it up and got a 14 gauge with pink jewels. I figured if I am going to the cliché thing, then I might as well do it hardcore and get pink jewels. By this time Meg decided she would do it to, which made me happy because I didn't want to be the only loser getting a 14 gauge navel piercing.
By this time Steve said he didn't feel like piercing, which was stupid because it was his shop. But luckily his apprentice was there and I agreed to let her do it, because what did I care. And besides she needed the practice, she had never done a navel. So I was like I rock, I will be her first navel piercing.
I went ahead and hopped up on the table and was quite nervous. I can't really say why. I've never really been nervous about piercings. I laid there and stared at the ceiling, wondering if I was really about to get my navel pierced 14 gauge. And of course it was real. And then it was time.
Southernbelle put dots on my navel and proceeded to line things up. But for some reason she just couldn't get it. She messed around with it for about 10-15 minutes before she said she was ready. By this time from all the pinching and poking I was already in a little bit of pain and quite ready to get it over with.
She started counting...1...2...3...and she shoved the needle in to my flesh. But just my luck she couldn't get it through. She apologized a lot and I said it was ok and that's when Steve took over. And he pierced it for real. I was such a relief to finally get it over with after all the pinching and poking.
I laid there for a few minutes before getting up. And was like, whoa I got my navel pierced. It was pretty painful afterwards, I realized that I just caused myself a lot of pain, what with getting the brand and the navel piercing within two days. I couldnt lay on my back because my leg would touch the bed and I couldn't lay on my stomach because of my new piercing. So I was stuck laying on my side a lot.
The day after my I got my navel pierced my navel was black almost from all the pinching, poking and piercing. It was crazy. Southern belle felt real bad, but I wasn't too pressed about it, it was just the story of my life. My piercing caused me nothing but trouble the entire time I had it which wasn't terribly long, about 3-4 months. I finally took it out after consulting my piercer, and we both decided it would be best to take it out, let it heal up and then get it redone 10 gauge style. But that's a completely different story for another time.