Friday, February 12, 2010

The Birthday Girl Gets Pierced

When I turned 13 my mom and I were in Berkeley visiting old friends of hers. Kaethe Kliot made jewelry and weavings and sold them in her shop called "Someplace" on Adeline. I remember her living room contained a 1930s gas pump repurposed as a giant cylindrical aquarium filled with water and goldfish. In her kitchen she pierced my mom's ears, and then mine. Mom, at the time, was 32. It was 1969 and we felt swept up in the zeitgeist.

Flash forward to 2010. My daughter Piper turned 13 last Wednesday and we swept her off to Factoria, to Claire's, to have her ears pierced by the competent assistant manager, Jasmine. No incantations, but lots of sterile solution. This followed a ceremony in Piper's bedroom involving scented candles in all the colors of the rainbow, a painted basket from Peru and a beautiful golden scarf. Bells were tinkled, foreheads were annointed with sandalwood oil and a dewy bouquet of sage. Wishes made on lavender wands. Wisdom was passed on. We think.




3 comments:

mouse (aka kimy) said...

happy belate birthday piper.... we are a family of late bloomers when it comes to ear piercing - i was 25 when I got my ears pierced, my mom came later when she turned 65 - the same year, she quit smoking! my daughter on the other had did have her ears (and nose) pierced while she was in high school, but then again her parents (me and f) weren't my parents who grew up in an era when pierced ears were believed to be associated with wantonness! what was with that!!

RobinB said...

Kimy, on behalf of Piper, thanks for your birthday wishes! I still have to do a doubletake when I see those tiny sparkles in her ears. I don't get the whole "wanton" thing, either! It's just fun!!

Sarah Naumann said...

My sister Katy and I both got our ears pierced by Kaethe Kliot in Berkeley! I love this tradition. Happy Birthday Piper.