A Earring for a 46 Year Old?

A few days before my birthday on Sunday, I was out trawling for a birthday gift for my brother (we celebrate 3 days apart of each other), and wandered into a costume jewelry shop (no, not necessarily because of the attractive and enthusiastic sales lady … *cough*), but primarily of a notion of getting myself a earring.

The last time I wore an earring was over 5 years ago, before my Stroke. And here I felt I missed wearing an earring, and thought to get one again, a birthday gift for myself!

It's "time", I thought. Ever since dressing up for school and getting out into the world again, time to dress up for "battle" and social acceptance, innit?


Looking through the selection of shapes and sizes for sale, dangling from racks and turning displays, my memories rush back to that time in what seems to be a lifetime ago - when I glanced into the toilet mirror at the army camp I was attending R.T. at ("Regimental Training" - for folks like me who could not pass the yearly physical fitness test conducted by the Army).

The punched ear hole seemed infected, and there was slight puffing and pus, and all around discomfort. I was removing said earring as it was not allowed during training, wondering; "Why the heck so vain go punch ear hole?"

I had, on a whim, had my ear pierced at a local clinic, thinking it would be hella sanitary, since it was a "clinic", right? Fourteen bucks for a moment of vanity LOL

Not long later, the swelling and pus had gone, and my ear was thusly garbed in a variety of jewelry - from stainless steel squared ring, to a matte stud at one point, and subsequently to cheap(er) black rings (as most attachments inevitably get lost amongst my hoard of a life), until Stroke, where having sponge baths and lying in bed unable to move independently, an earring would not be the best accessory to be had, yeh? And nothing has since decorated my ear…


Turning 46 today, I realized I was grasping at a semblance of faux-vitality of thy foolish youth, as vain as I was, but not vain enough to work out to loose the spectacular belly I had amassed thru the years, and having a earring, does not change that, much less make me look totally wrong as a pot-belied earring and eye-patch wearing, bearded Chinese guy cosplaying as an "Oriental Pirate", innit?


Overwhelmed by such imagery and emotional-grief, I left the shop, and waved a "thank you" to the sales lady … thinking that, if ever I do get an earring now, it'll have to be a miniaturized version of my blog-logo … than at least, I'd have a valid reason "excuse" to wear one! LOL

Cheers
Andy