Yankee Candle had a 6 for $60 sale and since there is a store close to Der Bingle’s apartment I took him over to sniff candles. We walked by a kiosk that had free ear-piercing offered with purchase. Well, I had my ears pierced in the 60’s in a dorm at IU with ice and a hat pin. The holes were a little low; we wore bigger earrings that occasionally caught on something and eventually one hole worked its way down to the edge.

Years later I had it repaired, but the holes were just too low and my earrings looked downward, so I was tempted to stop at the kiosk. But I did not. As we walked out of the mall, I passed Claire’s and saw a lady doing ear piercing through the window. Free. I thought surely it must be a signal.

So: