Change
It was February 2000; I was in Memphis, TN visiting my old and dear friend, Hoss. He took me out on the town. Hoss is well-known and well-loved by everyone who comes into contact with him. So, it was no surprise that at every bar and club we walked into he knew groups of people. He took me from bar to bar to bar introducing me to a lot of people that I still don’t know. And every bar we went into we of course had a drink.
Upon leaving our umpteenth bar, snow began to fall as we walked down Beale Street. Ah, Beale Street is where I started to feel all the drinks I had had that night. I wasn’t stumbling, falling over, and slurring my speech drunk. I was feeling quite good…I was feeling quite relaxed…I was feeling quite confident…I felt I needed a change. It was at that moment we passed a tattoo and piercing parlor.
I had wanted to get a tattoo or body piercing for a long time. Tonight was going to be the night.
This place was small, smoky, and crowded with half-naked tattooed, and pierced people. And here I was in a button-down shirt, khakis, sans tattoo and body piercing. But my mind was made up. I wasn’t leaving there until I had a change. I chose to get my tongue studded. That was the change I wanted…to put a piece of metal through my tongue.
I picked out the stud I wanted. I was led to a backroom by a big, bald, tattooed, and pierced man. I was met in the backroom by a smaller, bald, tattooed, and pierced man.
He pointed to an old brown, torn-up dentist chair, "Sit".
Upon leaving our umpteenth bar, snow began to fall as we walked down Beale Street. Ah, Beale Street is where I started to feel all the drinks I had had that night. I wasn’t stumbling, falling over, and slurring my speech drunk. I was feeling quite good…I was feeling quite relaxed…I was feeling quite confident…I felt I needed a change. It was at that moment we passed a tattoo and piercing parlor.
I had wanted to get a tattoo or body piercing for a long time. Tonight was going to be the night.
This place was small, smoky, and crowded with half-naked tattooed, and pierced people. And here I was in a button-down shirt, khakis, sans tattoo and body piercing. But my mind was made up. I wasn’t leaving there until I had a change. I chose to get my tongue studded. That was the change I wanted…to put a piece of metal through my tongue.
I picked out the stud I wanted. I was led to a backroom by a big, bald, tattooed, and pierced man. I was met in the backroom by a smaller, bald, tattooed, and pierced man.
He pointed to an old brown, torn-up dentist chair, "Sit".
I sat.
He explained what he was going to do and what to expect. He told me to stick my tongue out.
I stuck my tongue out.
He placed clamps on my tongue and squeezed. He asked if I was ready. I shook my head confirming that I indeed was ready.
He said, “Okay. I’m going to put this needle through your tongue. Don’t flinch or jerk your head. It’ll rip a hole through your tongue.”
I slightly and carefully shook my head acknowledging I heard him.
He continued, “Once the needle is in your tongue I’ll slip the stud in over it and then screw the ball on. Don’t move your head until I release the clamp. Okay? Ready?”
Slight head nod.
In one swift motion, he stabbed my tongue. I barely felt anything.
I swish, spit, and swish and spit and then I felt a change.
My body tensed up. I felt an enormous amount of adrenaline rush through my body. I’m hot…my body felt like it was on fire. I felt sick. The guy looked at me. I must have looked pretty bad. He told me if I was going to throw up to do it over there. He's pointing over to the corner. My eyes followed his finger and saw a toilet and sink.
I made a mad dash for the toilet. I began to hurl and couldn’t stop.
He said, “Okay. I’m going to put this needle through your tongue. Don’t flinch or jerk your head. It’ll rip a hole through your tongue.”
I slightly and carefully shook my head acknowledging I heard him.
He continued, “Once the needle is in your tongue I’ll slip the stud in over it and then screw the ball on. Don’t move your head until I release the clamp. Okay? Ready?”
Slight head nod.
In one swift motion, he stabbed my tongue. I barely felt anything.
"This guy is good", I thought.
A few moments passed and still feeling alright.
He began to slide the stud over the needle and into my tongue. The stud got jammed. It wasn’t sliding as smoothly as I thought it would. He applied a little bit of pressure. Still not budging. He applied more pressure and finally, the stud slid down. He screwed the ball onto the end of the stud. He removed the clamp and handed me a cup of mouthwash. He instructed me to swish and spit and repeat.
I swish, spit, and swish and spit and then I felt a change.
My body tensed up. I felt an enormous amount of adrenaline rush through my body. I’m hot…my body felt like it was on fire. I felt sick. The guy looked at me. I must have looked pretty bad. He told me if I was going to throw up to do it over there. He's pointing over to the corner. My eyes followed his finger and saw a toilet and sink.
I made a mad dash for the toilet. I began to hurl and couldn’t stop.
The guy who just stabbed me was standing next to me running water in the sink. He kneels down beside me and starts to rub the back of my neck with a wet cloth. He says, “It’s okay, man. Don’t worry about it. You’re not the first to get sick and you won’t be the last.”
He wets the cloth again and places it on the back of my neck. He rubs my back, “Are you okay, buddy? Take all the time you need.”
When I left that place…changed…I continued to throw up all the way down Beale Street.
He wets the cloth again and places it on the back of my neck. He rubs my back, “Are you okay, buddy? Take all the time you need.”
When I left that place…changed…I continued to throw up all the way down Beale Street.
Sometimes the changes might seem unnecessary, wreckless, masochistic, and/or stupid to others.
Every change we make, the big, the small, and the unsuccessful, influences us. They're all necessary.
Go ahead and make the change. Even if in a week you decide it's not for you. Now you can move on to the next change you want to try.
Good luck.
P.S.
Don't drink heavily before getting a body piercing.
