After Brett and I got married in 2001, we moved to Austin so he could work for the Texas Attorney General’s office. We absolutely loved Austin! It is so different from Fort Worth. Since we were very poor we did not get to go out as much as we would have liked but at least once a month we went down to 6th Street. 6th Street has such a cool vibe and you could bar jump from place to place.
On my birthday our friend Dave came down and we went down to 6th Street. We started at this bar called Cheers Shot Bar because they made Flaming Dr Peppers. If you have not had one you are missing out! They take a pint glass of beer, fill a shot glass ¾ with amaretto and then top it with Bacardi 151. Then they light it on fire and drop it in the beer. You shoot it and it tastes exactly like Dr. Pepper. God knows how many we had that night, but it certainly wasn’t one.
We moved on, from bar to bar, getting different drinks at each one. I was not happy it was my birthday, I was feeling old and I was not looking forward to adulting. As we got drunker and drunker I decided that I needed to do something crazy to still feel young, this was the booze talking. At first, I thought I would get a tattoo but I didn’t know what I wanted so that was out. Oh wait, I have a great idea! I should get a piercing! I wasn’t going to do one on my face, so I decided to do a nipple ring.
Brett and Dave thought this was a great idea! I don’t think they thought I would go through with it. There are numerous tattoo and piercing places on 6th Street so we picked one. We went in and they said we were far too intoxicated and they couldn’t do it. So off we go to the next one who said the exact same thing. I thought what does a girl have to do around here to get her nipple pierced?
Finally, we go to a third place and they said sure we’ll do it. By this time, we had spent most of our money and we discovered that we could only afford to do one. So, we get in the little booth, I pull out my boob and they pierce it, (I bled all over the place since I was wasted), put the jewelry in and it was done. Brett and Dave were shocked I went through with it! So, of course, we had to go drink some more!
Fast forward to the next morning when I woke up feeling awful, of course, and I rolled over and was talking to Brett when I said, “Why does my boob hurt?” Brett started laughing and I looked down and lo and behold, a nipple ring! I said, “What the hell happened?” I think Brett laughed for like 15 minutes! I had no memory of getting it done whatsoever. I decided what was done was done and it actually healed quite quickly. Some people say that when you get a nipple piercing you can lose some feeling but mine had the opposite effect. It seemed to enhance my sensitivity which was a bonus I was not expecting.
I kept it for about 5 years. I managed to not tell my mother and somehow managed to avoid her seeing it. I didn’t want her to freak out so I’m sorry Mom! I actually enjoyed it, it felt like I had a secret, made me feel like I wasn’t so boring and made me feel young. Plus, when I told people they were shocked! I guess I don’t look like that type of girl. It was nice to feel like I could still surprise myself. So that’s my favorite Austin story from the 5 years I lived there. I wish we still lived there. Crazy things happen in Austin!
The night is calling... 