Return of Hearing Girl: Hearing Girl Meets Fed-Ex Dude

Jul 25, 2005 02:28

Also written senior year of high school... *smile*

So, there I was one afternoon, working in the Center's library (which is open to the public). E and Jephthah (pseudonymous Deaf coworkers) were there, too, chatting in the back room. It was a slow day.
All of a sudden, I heard this thumping on the front door. I should mention that the sign on the door clearly indicated that we were open, so I didn't feel particularly inclined to let our visitor in. Eventually he caught on and opened the door himself. Then, totally oblivious to the fact that (as a d/Deaf resource center) we just might have deaf people there, he poked his head in and hollered, "Is anyone in there? Hello?" Although I'm a mere intern, with no authority whatsoever, I finally called out, "Yup," figuring I could get back-up from E or Jephthah if he needed something that was out of my depth.
So, this dude rolled in a dolly loaded down with packages: he's a delivery guy. I said, "Wait a sec," ducked in the back, and told Jeph. We both came out, Jeph motioned the dude over to the storeroom, and they disappeared for a few minutes.
Jeph looked amused when he came out, though I refuse to guess what had happened. The delivery guy trailed behind him like a paper boat caught in the aftercurrent of a yacht. From behind him, the dude asked, "What is your name, sir?" I got Jeph's attention and let him know what he'd been asked. He matter-of-factly asked me to interpret (which is still a big deal for me- a major vote of confidence) and then fingerspelled, "J-E-P-H." I said it aloud, and the dude dutifully recorded it on his electronic-pad-thingy . . . you know the kind delivery guys carry.
Then, the dude looked at me and said, "Ask him for his last name, please." I signed, "Ask him for his last name, please," and Jeph grinned ironically. He spelled his long, majestic last name twice, because I wanted to make sure I spelled it correctly when I voiced it. As it turned out, neither of us need have bothered, since as Jeph peeked over his shoulder, he noticed that the dude had misspelled it anyway. He signed, "It's wrong," and told me where the mistake was so I could correct the delivery dude. Let me tell you, rarely have I seen someone so surprised as when I interrupted the dude and said, "No, no, no, it’s not 'I-N-O,' it’s 'I-M-O.'" He gave me a how-the-heck-did-you-do-that look and made the correction, and I winked at Jeph.
Next, the delivery dude asked me, "Can you ask him to sign it?" (How neat, I thought in the split-second before I interpreted. He wants to see Jeph’s name-sign. A little odd, but neat. Then I figured out what he had meant, and thankfully I figured it out before I relayed the message!) "He needs you to sign the receipt." Jeph signed it, thoroughly enjoying the little electronic stylus. (Jeph and his high-tech toys!)
Fed-Ex Dude took the little pad-thingy from Jeph without even looking at him, then looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Thanks, have a nice day."
I turned pointedly to Jeph- the actual customer- and repeated the dude's message. Jeph smiled (he knew darn well whom he'd been talking to) and signed, "No problem, you too."
But by the time I turned to voice Jeph's reply, the Fed-Ex dude was gone.

deaf

Previous post Next post
Up