Identity

'people will assume you're gay!
'who? it's in the left ear, left ear means not gay'
'who would know the difference?
'mom, I'm not gay that's the important thing, who cares what people think'
'well I do when it comes to something like this'
'look' I said turning over to MTV 'Julian Lennon has an ear ring..he's not gay, at least I don't think so, my point is it's not a gay thing'
'Your father will not be happy'
'oh now HE'S gonna think I'm gay? I really think you're overreacting'


This is the conversation I had with my mother in my 10th grade summer, after the Valley View mall piercing pagoda snapped a gold stud into my left ear lobe.