May I Have Your Autograph?

Have you ever been in a public place and noticed someone famous? Did you see other people (maybe even yourself) go up to them and ask for their autograph - regardless of who they were with or what they were doing? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be that famous person? Well, being married to a Deaf person is almost just like that! Almost...

I cannot tell you how many times my husband and I have been out together on a date or with our family when we've had a new ASL student randomly come up to us and start talking to my husband. We could be in the middle of a conversation, having a romantic dinner, or yelling at our kids to stop crawling under or over the table, and they feel free to interrupt everything because their teacher told them to not be afraid to approach deaf people and talk with them.

Mr. P, the great man that he is, has never really been bothered by it, but it has ALWAYS bothered me! Yes, I want to encourage people to learn sign and learn about Deaf culture and all that. Yes, I think it's wonderful that there are so many people learning sign out there! Yes, I wish even more people would learn sign! Yes, I think they should go up to deaf people and talk with them. However, I think it needs to be in the right situation... During a romantic dinner for two? No! While the family is having family time? Perhaps not. While waiting for a table in a restaurant? Maybe. At a public deaf event? Absolutely. On the train when they are sitting alone looking bored? You bet!

If you are learning sign, and you have been encouraged to walk up to deaf people, introduce yourself, and tell them where you are learning ASL and who your teacher is; before you do, please think to yourself, "if I were them, would I want me walking up to them right now and interrupting them?" And thank you for learning ASL!

Rant over... On with life now.

Do you have his happen to you often with your spouse? How do you handle the situation?

-- Mrs. P