On Piercings

My sister had her ears pierced when she was quite young. I would have to ask her to be sure but I think she was 3. That would have been in 1967.

I loved my sisters earrings. She had ruby (I'm sure not real rubies) post earrings that represented her birthstone. I love red as a child even and liked to look at her ears.

When I was three my sister generously offered to pierce my ears for me. "They will be just like mine" she promised. At three I didn't understand buzz words or statements like "Now, you have to promise not to scream no matter what" and "You have to promise you won't tell mom until AFTER I'm done." I gladly promised with all the innocence of a 3 year old being led like a lamb to the slaughter.

My sister grabbed a large needle from my mothers pin cushion and a potato from the bin in the kitchen. She then led me by the hand, up the stairs, into our room where she shut the door. Then she opened the closet door, pulled the light string on and into the closet we went shutting the door behind us.

My sister held the potato behind my ear and with confidence that comes naturally to an 8 year old girl, thrust the needle into my earlobe.

The rest of the story runs according to the obvious. I screamed and shrieked bloody murder while my sister desperately tried to quiet me, with no success. My mother heard my muffled screams from the kitchen and came to see what the problem was. Finding a long needle, a stray, very out of place potato and one child cluching the offended ear and crying, it was easy to surmise what had taken place.

I don't remember what happened after that. But to this day I never, ever, ever promise not to scream no matter what. :)

My sister was a stinker and while she grew out of most of it, she still has a healthy stinker streak in her . We are the best of friends these days. I count myself blessed to have her as my sister. I don't let her attempt to pierce my ears and we get along great.