The Piercing Dilemma

I got a new job! Well, another job. I'm gonna be working at a coffee shop, just Tuesdays and Thursdays to start. Its a very relaxed, cool place, but my favorite thing? Its privately owned. The employees there create sandwiches and create drinks. There is no corporate print-out of what displays need to be up that week, there are no corporate recipes where changes are forbidden, there is, in a word... freedom.

Oooh, I like the sound of that.

And then... a hitch. Andrew, the owner, is giving me an interview and is ready to hire me, except for one thing.

"That piercing's gotta go."

It caught me completely off guard. I told him I hadn't thought about it and he brought it down to this statement, "If you want the job you'll get rid of it." Hmmm... an ultimatum. I don't like ultimatums.

So I said ok, because I really just wanted to think about it. First, I figured I would just take it out during work, and put it back in after. But after I tried it this weekend, it started to seal up after only a couple hours! I didn't want to just give it up, its more than just metal in my face. Its a memory.

After living in Australia, we went to New Zealand, and on the day before I left for home, I got this piercing. This piercing is the culmination of four months abroad. Its like the flag at the top of the mountain. Every time I see it in the mirror I think of Joe and Danielle. I hear David's laugh and see Bangor's squinty smile. I think of dancing in the street with Liz, chats with Kimberly, the Blue Mountains and petting kangaroos, singing in the pool and swimming in the Pacific, Tasmania, weekend markets, and singing with Kathy while filling an office full of balloons. Its very meaningful to me.

And I didn't realize that until someone wanted to take it away. Funny how that always is. BUT. I have a clear plastic retainer that I put in for piercing-inappropriate occasions, making it invisible. Usually plays and movies and such. I decided I would call Andrew and give the proposal. Easier said than done.

Andrew is a successful businessman and a boisterous Italian. He's intimidating. So I had to bolster up the courage and finally made the call. And you know what? He said the retainer was ok.

Really? ...oh, well thank you. Thank you very much!

I was surprised to see how troubled I became when I had to give it up. Its just a piercing, isn't it? Or is it? I feel like since everyone who was with me in Australia is so far away now... this piercing is the last thing that ties me to them.

Or something...

Its given me something to think about.