AquaBlue
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I had forgotten to post this...and it was so long ago when it happened too.
A little over three years ago I visited with my family back in Cuba. (The Feds allow those born on the island to travel to Cuba directly from American.) Well I was in a very small town where my mom grew grew up for a two week stay. (Some people gave me an ugly look because I am an American but for the most part everyone was friendly.) Now about a week or so during my stay I met a deaf man. I saw him struggling with a shop cashier about a purchase.
The shop owner (who I later gave a stern yet cool explanation that deaf folks should be treated with the same dignity and respect as any other human being on earth. The cashier listened and seemed to understand my meaning.
I told the deaf gentleman to please wait with a sign which made him jump in astonishment. I turned to man and began to sign with him in ASL (not SSL, for Cuba is so only about 90 miles from the Florida Keys that I figure that ASL is the common sign language there), and he nearly did a back flip he so happy. He was even more extacted that I was a hearie that I thought he was going to embrace me or something he was so overjoyed. You see there was no other deaf indidvidual in that small town and poor man had to communicate with pencil and paper.
We communicated to what seemed like hours before my family had to pry away since dinner was about to be served and the night was nearly upon us. The deaf man was desperate to finally sign with another human being that his eyes, so I witnessed, where nearly wet with tears. I told him that I almost never sign (true) because I do not have any deaf friends (true) and he was shocked because, so he told me, I signed so well. I told him that signing, for me, was like riding a bike...It's hard to forget.
We signed and signed and signed so more. He did not want me to go and neither did I but was being pulled away (physically) by family tearing me away. I saw him, as I was being lead off, writing something on a paper. He ran up to me and handed me the paper. He signed that it was his address and to keep in touch.
I recognized that he was alone among none signers who saw him less that human - what a discusting shame: I wanted to vomit to be ernest. I did not look at what he wrote before placing the paper in my pocket. After that encounter I never saw him again. I was anxious to meet with again but no dice. When I finally got to see the paper he handed me that day, I was horrified that the words were unledgable and so I asked around and they told me that he had moved to another part of the county. So his whereabouts were gone.
I remember his joy at being able to use his language with another person and it pains me to this day that I was unable to get in contact with him afterwards. No one knew of his new address, or they did not want to tell me being an American (So I felt). I was left with an empty feeling and as I departed the island back to Miami I could not rid my thoughts of the deaf man I met in that out-of-the-way little town in Cuba.
At least I gave him some happiness for a moment and that alone made me a little happy. I told him in a sense (not with signs) that yes there are people who understand the sufferings that deaf people endure in a hearing world. Being a hearie only added to his slended surprise. It was an experience I will not soon forget.
It's funny I never mentioned here before for that encounter is still fresh in my memory/heart. I wish him well wherever he is. At least that store cashier will treat him better so I wish. At least I made him happy for a brief moment. I like to think that wherever he is now, that he is among other deaf folks...at least that's what I like to think.
_
A little over three years ago I visited with my family back in Cuba. (The Feds allow those born on the island to travel to Cuba directly from American.) Well I was in a very small town where my mom grew grew up for a two week stay. (Some people gave me an ugly look because I am an American but for the most part everyone was friendly.) Now about a week or so during my stay I met a deaf man. I saw him struggling with a shop cashier about a purchase.
The shop owner (who I later gave a stern yet cool explanation that deaf folks should be treated with the same dignity and respect as any other human being on earth. The cashier listened and seemed to understand my meaning.
I told the deaf gentleman to please wait with a sign which made him jump in astonishment. I turned to man and began to sign with him in ASL (not SSL, for Cuba is so only about 90 miles from the Florida Keys that I figure that ASL is the common sign language there), and he nearly did a back flip he so happy. He was even more extacted that I was a hearie that I thought he was going to embrace me or something he was so overjoyed. You see there was no other deaf indidvidual in that small town and poor man had to communicate with pencil and paper.
We communicated to what seemed like hours before my family had to pry away since dinner was about to be served and the night was nearly upon us. The deaf man was desperate to finally sign with another human being that his eyes, so I witnessed, where nearly wet with tears. I told him that I almost never sign (true) because I do not have any deaf friends (true) and he was shocked because, so he told me, I signed so well. I told him that signing, for me, was like riding a bike...It's hard to forget.
We signed and signed and signed so more. He did not want me to go and neither did I but was being pulled away (physically) by family tearing me away. I saw him, as I was being lead off, writing something on a paper. He ran up to me and handed me the paper. He signed that it was his address and to keep in touch.
I recognized that he was alone among none signers who saw him less that human - what a discusting shame: I wanted to vomit to be ernest. I did not look at what he wrote before placing the paper in my pocket. After that encounter I never saw him again. I was anxious to meet with again but no dice. When I finally got to see the paper he handed me that day, I was horrified that the words were unledgable and so I asked around and they told me that he had moved to another part of the county. So his whereabouts were gone.
I remember his joy at being able to use his language with another person and it pains me to this day that I was unable to get in contact with him afterwards. No one knew of his new address, or they did not want to tell me being an American (So I felt). I was left with an empty feeling and as I departed the island back to Miami I could not rid my thoughts of the deaf man I met in that out-of-the-way little town in Cuba.
At least I gave him some happiness for a moment and that alone made me a little happy. I told him in a sense (not with signs) that yes there are people who understand the sufferings that deaf people endure in a hearing world. Being a hearie only added to his slended surprise. It was an experience I will not soon forget.
It's funny I never mentioned here before for that encounter is still fresh in my memory/heart. I wish him well wherever he is. At least that store cashier will treat him better so I wish. At least I made him happy for a brief moment. I like to think that wherever he is now, that he is among other deaf folks...at least that's what I like to think.
_
