Did that hurt?

Sometimes you just have to address the “elephant in the room.” I suspect everyone who is staying at Bally’s has noticed the unique and sometimes scary-looking young men and women in the hotel with the Association of Piercing Professionals. With their asymmetrical hairdos, interesting attire and multiple piercings, they are actually a little reminiscent of my college years, studying art in Boston during the punk rock era.

I have chatted with a few pierced and tattooed people in the elevators, and the artist in me can appreciate some of the fine skin art – but I honestly can’t get over the piercings and have asked on a number of occasions, “Did that hurt?"

I’m sure they look at me as some sort of Mom or even Grandma, but I just smile and remember when my hair was magenta and my ears were pierced all the way around. I got some strange looks and believe that on one or two occasions, someone must have asked me, “Did that hurt?” I honestly don’t remember it hurting, but a very polite young man with half a hairdo and wearing a skirt responded with a shrug and a smile, “I guess just a little.”

It reminded me that you simply can’t judge a book by its cover. 

Martha Paradis is the marketing manager for American Dryer Corp., a manufacturer of innovative and energy-efficient drying solutions for coin, on-premise and commercial laundry customers.