This is the long-winded version of my piercing story, as submitted to BME.

This is the story of a piercing that wasn’t. I was visiting a friend in New York, and I decided to get the industrial I’ve wanted for years. Previously I couldn’t because of work, but I recently went back to school so my piercing opportunities expanded. I called a place with a good reputation but they were pretty expensive, so I decided to go to Ian’s down on St. Mark’s Place.

It was a long walk from Chelsea, and when I got there I noticed several piercing shops right on the corner. There was a vendor selling jewelry, and I spotted the spiral barbell I knew would make my dream piercing. For years I’ve wanted an industrial with a spiral or wavy barbell. I bought it and headed over to Ian’s across the street.

The guy running the register located a 14g straight barbell for me to be pierced with, and I took my place in line behind two other girls. When the piercer yelled out “ear project!” I got up from my seat and sat on the table. The guy took one look at my ear and announced, “I can’t do this. You can’t get an ear project.”

I was extremely disappointed, of course - I’d wanted this piercing for years! The piercer explained that my “sticky outy” part sticks out too far, and I just didn’t have the ear for an industrial. (I think he was referring to my outer conch.) I immediately tried to think of something else I’d wanted to get done. The piercer suggested an orbital and I said that would be good, I like those too. But it turned out he couldn’t even do that right away, I would have to get one hole done, heal that, and then do the other. I got a 16g ring from the front register, and the guy set about piercing my inner conch.

I guess he figured I knew what was what, because he didn’t explain what he was doing. That was fine though, I pretty much did know what was up. As the guy put his gloves on, he talked about the skinny girl ahead of me who didn’t even flinch when she was pierced. So of course I was determined not to either! I breathed in and out as instructed, and listened for the pop as the needle went through. Nothing! I missed it on my helix and now I’d missed it again. There was virtually no pain when the needle went through and none when the jewelry went in. I felt a tiny twinge at most, and I was proud of myself for not flinching. But just then, the guy dropped the ring closing pliers, and I did jump at that! The bead went on, I hopped off the table, and tipped him $10 on my way out. (I noticed his tip jar had mostly small bills, I only had a ten and some ones myself, and I appreciated his honesty about the industrial not working on my ear.)

I left the store and found myself at a loss for what to do next. I had walked in to get the piercing of my dreams, and walked out with one I wasn’t even sure I liked. I went back across the street and traded the spiral barbell for a pink CBR with a silver bead. When I got back to my friend’s house, I peered at my ear in the mirror. I wasn’t even sure the placement was right to turn it into an orbital.

I’m trying to make the best of the situation, and I do plan to heal this piercing rather than giving up on it so soon. But now I don’t know what to do with my ears. I just wanted a simple industrial, I didn’t want a whole big thing. We’ll see how it goes, I’m trying to think positively. It’s hard, though, when you’ve just been told you’ll never have the piercing of your dreams. Sigh.