Deaf Event

Deaf Event (#1)

Yesterday evening I went to the Starbucks at the Santa Monica Promenade.

When I got there I was rather surprised to see about 15 people (all who were Deaf)

sitting signing and drinking coffee. I was under the impression it was going to be like a

a silent poetry night, but when it hit me that I actually had to introduce myself and talk

with them I got a tad bit ( actually a lot) nervous. The first person I noticed was a young

Asian couple who were signing furiously at each other, when I noticed the young lady

aknowledge me, I nodded my head and said "HELLO- MY-NAME- fs# M-Y-W-A-N-Z-

A. I- NEW-STUDENT- LEARN- ASL. HOW-YOU ? The young lady just looked at me

and actually rolled her eyes at me and kept signing to her friend. Now I know I am new

to the Deaf Community, but I'm really trying to work hard to do the right thing, I already

feel inadequate about it and my first thought was to leave because that hurt my feelings

but I said to myself " DAMN IT , I did not just waste a tank of gas just to go back home

feeling defeated". So I pushed my feelings aside and went inside to get some coffee.

as I ordered my venti- soy caramel macchiato with an extra shot of expresso, a young

man bumped into me and made me drop my Madeline cookies. He signed "SORRY" and

I signed back "IT'S-FINE". He looked at me and signed "HI- MY-NAME- JEFF.

SORRY- COOKIE-YOU- I BUY-MORE. I smiled and signed MY -NAME- M-Y-W-A-

N-Z-A NICE-TO-MEET-YOU. NO-BUY-MORE-COOKIE. Jeff then asked YOU-

HEARING-YES? YOU- HAVE-DEAF FAMILY? I signed back YES-IM-HEARING-

NO-HAVE-NO-DEAF-FAMILY-IM-LEARNING-ASL-BECAUSE-I-LIKE-TO-TALK-

PEOPLE. Jeff bought me another Madeline cookie, although I protested he still bought it.

Jeff was maybe in his mid-thirties with blue-green eyes and black hair with orange tips

that was cropped at the top of his head wearing a grey polo shirt and blue jeans. Jeff

asked YOU-WANT-MEET -MY FRIEND-PLEASE? I said "OK". He introduced me to

His girlfriend Molly. I noticed that she was holding a conversation with my classmate

Diane( I think that was her name). Molly seemed very happy when Jeff introduced me as

hearing and learning ASL because I like to talk to people and wanting to learn more.

Molly was very happy to talk to Diane and I and she was very patient with us and our

signing. Overall, I had a pretty good night, we talked about everything from sushi to the

President to the news( especially about a young Deaf woman who murdered her boyfriend

at Gaulledet University about 5 months ago.) My nervousness later subsided and I forgot

all about the young Asian woman who brushed me off earlier that evening. And I was

pleasantly surprised at myself at how well I could keep up with the conversations and my

signing. I always say to myself that I want to be able to sign so much more fluently then I

do and I want desperately to be accepted into the Deaf Community. I'm not there yet, I

know I've got a long journey ahead of me, but for now, I think I'll sit back and just enjoy

the ride . Deaf Event #2

Last week I was invited to dinner by Anita Dobson whom I met at court( yeah, I got a

speeding ticket) where we both were taking care of some business. It was my mom who

noticed the women was Deaf and needed help talking to the deputy sheriff( while I was

fumbling through some paper work) . When I looked up, I saw a older woman with

cute wavy hair that was Loli-pop red! I noticed the woman and the deputy sheriff looking

slightly annoyed, as I watched the deputy sheriff mouth "what-are-you-here-for"? The

woman signed "IM-DEAF". Oblivious to what the lady was saying the deputy sheriff

(shocked me with the DUMBEST move I had ever seen) put his hand in her face as if

to halt her from doing something and loudly and slowly said "UNO-MOMENTO,POR

FAVOR!" At that moment my brain and my mouth were not correctly synced because

as I was thinking it slipped out of my mouth "You gotta be kidding me!" On cue,

the deputy sheriff looked at me( ooops!) I cleared my throat like I was trying to get his

attention and said, "Excuse me, but the lady is deaf, would you like for me to tell her

what you said? The deputy looked a little relieved but with an arrogant look said " You

can do that? My right eyebrow involuntarily raised as I thought to myself, No, I can't, I'm

just going to stand there and attempt to look just as stupid as you do right now( Thank