The Golden Boys

Chapter 41

Mike and I found ourselves in a bar, the name of which I'd already forgotten, in downtown Seattle.

The night was young!

If ever I had to choose again between hanging out with Mike Starr and being at some stuffy wedding, it'd be Mike every time!

"Okay, your turn!" he said, swiveling his bar stool to face me.

"Truth or dare?" I asked him.

"Dare," he said cautiously.

I pursed my lips, deep in thought.

"I dare you to......... get your nipples pierced....right now!"

"What?!" His mouth fell open.

Laughing, I nodded. "You heard me!"

To my surprise, he stood up and shrugged.

"Fine, I'll do it. Under one condition."

"And what might that be?" I ask, taking a sip of my beer.

"You have to do it too," he challenged.

"I'll do you one better.... I'll go first."

Mike raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised by my answer, which only fueled me more.

"Come on let's go," I say. "I know of a place just down the block."

Calling my bluff, Mike says "All right!" and follows me out the door.

"Oh wait," he mutters, and he runs back inside the bar.

I watch him through the glass door, and he throws a twenty on the bar. Oh yeah, the tab.

Even in my drunken state, I'm right about there being a place just down the block. When we walk into the Lucky Dragon Tattoo Parlor, the little bell on the door rings, signaling our entrance.

"We'll be right with you," a voice calls.

"Okay!" Mike shouts back loudly, which makes me giggle.

We sit down in what we assumed to be the waiting area and observe the place. It was noisy; there was a loud buzzing sound coming from somewhere, and Metallica was blasting throughout the store.

After a few minutes, the buzzing stops and two very punk looking girls appear. They were heading to the exit, and they paused in front of us.

"Word of advice," said the one with the short, blue hair. "This place sucks. They just butchered my friends tongue piercing."

My eyes flashed to her friend- she was holding an ice pack to her mouth.

"Ouch," Mike whispers.

The two girls stalk off toward the exit.

Mike turns toward me. "Well, what do you think? Should we leave?"

"And ruin the dare?" I ask incredulously. "No way. We're here, we're doing this thing."

Mike stares at me in silence. Probably wondering why he ever left the wedding....

Before he can say anything else, a man with a mohawk and tattoos covering every inch of visible skin except for his face, walks up to us.

"What can I do for you?" he asks in a surprisingly polite tone.

Mike takes a deep, courageous breath and stands up.

"We need our nipples pierced."

The guy stares blankly at us.

"You what?"