If these walls could talk, they could tell you stories of being seated around this dining table in San Francisco in the 1960's. About a creative set of parents who stitched this needlepoint tapestry together at night, one night after the next for two and a half years. I could tell you how important it was for them to teach us "good manners" and that they were on a serious mission for us to experience fine food and dining. ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today these walls also remind me of a foggy evening in February of 1964, when I was eight years old, of two of the most memorable nights of my life. Around this table we sat, my mom, dad, grandma Eva, my brother, and I, just finishing up dessert, when my father announced that he wanted to ask my mom and I a question.
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He explained that recently he had seen women downtown who were wearing pierced ears. I was curious, but not for sure what pierced ears were. Still, I knew I was a big fan of my mom's earring collection!! He went on to say, that he wanted to know if my mom and I were interested in having our own ears pierced? His selling point was, that we could wear earrings without loosing them, also noting that he thought pierced ears looked pretty and "in".
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I thought to myself. " Wow!! Me wearing earrings, YES"!!??
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Next, he explained how he had gone to speak to a doctor during his lunch hour, one that instructed him on how to pierce ears. In these days, only doctors pierced ears. My mom and I looked at each other
smiled and said; "Yes, we do want pierced ears"! We said it sounded fabulous!
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"Are you kidding"? My New York grandma
shouted! Not believing what she had heard and stared at my dad with disbelief. She thought my dad had gone completely mad and out of his
mind. Even my older brother bet me I would never go though with it, because he
knew how much I detested needles and shots.
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My brother had a good point, but the next night after dinner around this same table, I ended up winning the bet. My father, pierced my mom's ears first, then mine, using a sterilized needle and a large carafe wine cork to stabilize the prick behind the ear. As he pierced my ears I didn't cry at all, then afterword ran to gaze at my ears in the mirror with those little gold earring posts and liked what I saw!!
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My Grandma Eva was disgusted and retired to her room in "a huff". I won the bet with my brother, but most importantly~~~~~This turned out to be one of happiest days of my life. I adore having pierced ears, never having regretted this decision and have worn earrings most every day since.
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Having pierced ears remind me of my father and that makes me smile~
Do you have a memory about when you had your ears pierced, I'd like to hear!
xox
Constance
