Comments on: What would you do?

By: Aline

Aline — Wed, 23 May 2007 09:25:09 +0000

Joey,
You handled it very well. Now, you asked the good question. I sat back and thought it through for few minutes. In my past, I have experienced several times at different fast food restaurants. When I approached to the type of person who could not read my paper, I tended to notice their behavior into uncomfortable or tense by trying to figure out what I wrote. When I sensed that, I simply asked that person to get help from his/her staff such as gesture pointing to staff and gesturing “come here” and pointing the paper. At the conclusion, everything went smooth. It does bother me, but I have to realize where these people came from and what is their education background as well. I know sometimes I said to myself, “No wonder they might depend on the number like you tell them number two combo which is easier for them to handle it.” See my point? I personally feel that we could not yell or fuss at them for not understanding when they read the paper. Now, concerning about people who are behind you, I think that I make it obviously by gesture to get someone to help this certain person to read the paper. I rarely mention to anyone who is behind me that I share my paper to them by saying that this person needs help with reading skills. So, usually I tried not to make it big deal out of it. It is just part of life that we have to deal with in our daily basis. My wife sometimes get the wrong order for not eliminating the sauce she did not want on her hamburger. That does frustrating her. So, next time we write big NO whatever it is and try to make clear as possible. We all will have to figure out what is the best way to cross the communication to success. Again, Joey, you really did good job as you handled with dignity.

By: Denise

Denise — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 10:30:10 +0000

oops I mean joey not jack lol and sorry I missspell few words and hope you understand what I typed this comment lol

By: Denise

Denise — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 10:02:40 +0000

Jack, I have lot of experince with ordering fast foods. I firgure why do I always get wrong food? so maybe that is akind shock culture. because they might never see deaf people to order fast food. I belive that they can read and write. I remeber that I went to wendys to order fast food. They acted like shock to see me as deaf so they make up to get me wrong food first time and I went there few times then they used to see me and give me right foods. i figured why they were acting shock to see me and I went few fast foods that they have no experince with deaf people unless the manager hired new people. that would be problem

By: Edna Bloom

Edna Bloom — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 13:36:55 +0000

I really was laughed so hard when I noticed the man sitting behind Joey. He put the soda bottle between his legs and he was busy doing with the paper until he took it out between his legs. It made me laughing so hard. It is funny. I wonder whether Joey knows about it. Lol.

By: Nikol

Nikol — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 08:47:06 +0000

I have been in the other role here, I used to be an assistant manager for a car rental agency, and we had valets, several of whom were foreign or high school dropouts. We had a gentelman rent a car online, and was going to be arriving at the airport later that week. I knew that two of my valets were illiterate, but I hadn’t gotten any indication that my customer was Deaf, so I didn’t even consider doing anything different from what I normally do. If it had been mentioned in the “notes” section of the form, it should have gone more smoothly, but there was also nothing prompting that sort of information either.

In the end, I went out myself after my valet radioed me a couple of times, and the valet was about to cry, the client had gotten so angry!

I couldn’t help but think it was a little funny, although I felt badly for everyone involved. Once I got there and he realized I not only could read, but that I knew enough asl to communicate reasonably, the customer was so relieved, and everything got sorted out.

I also convinced my valet to take english literacy courses at the community center. I think he was so scared of having another large (muscular!) angry man “waving his hands around” that decided he’d prefer the notepad!

Thanks for the vlog, and thanks for helping me keep my comprehension skills up even way out here where I have no Deaf friends!

~Nikol

By: Stephanie Brown

Stephanie Brown — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 16:18:44 +0000

GREAT vlog Joey!

I usually just stand firm and make sure my written orders are correct — if the employee gets it wrong or is obviously having trouble understanding my written order, I would first try and get the cashier to read carefully to be sure they get my orders correctly. If that fails, I would request for their manager/supervisor. I don’t worry about what other customers behind me might be thinking or saying — after all we should be empowered to be independent without having to depend on other hearing folks.

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 13:14:00 +0000

It is not the law that employees has to speak English. In Mexico, however it is the law that employees must speak Spanish and that Americans cannot be hired unless they have the legal documents unlike in the US, where the hardowrking ICE and Border PAtrol are overworked. Even many Americans do not want to works in jobs where immigrants (legal or illegal) work.

By: KAT BROCKWAY

KAT BROCKWAY — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 20:05:33 +0000

Hello Joey- (and Hilde)

You are giving a good valid point wondering which way to make hearing people in the line to look down at you or agree with you…Hilde gave a great example!

Funny, Hilde, I did often show to the hearing person in line behind me if an associate does not understand me!! That works! Hearing person defends me if order is delayed! ( I REFUSE ask my own two hearing daughters to interpret for me)…

In special situations, I might walk away and not care for people to look at me.

By: Mandy

Mandy — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 03:08:12 +0000

Joey,
yes it happened me a lot. I always write a paper and pen. Mexcian people cant read my order. Some other people even from american cant read it. Sometimes I show the people who behind me, I ask them Can u read this and speak loud to order.. Sometimes they told me they make mistake.. sometimes their eye roll up because the order cant read the paper.. I am not ashamed of what I am doing.. if the cashier cant read or cant understand, sometimes i ask where is your manager ? and ask manager how can that person get the job and cant read it ?
The manager seems like swallow his throat…. That mean I am deaf and can write and read well too.. Now number of people who speak spanish speaking are worst!!!!! Sometimes I told the manager please mexcian people take English class if they cant read then send them back where they belong.America is speaking only ENGLISH where is ASL lol…
. I am not keeping myself if the food is mistake.. I want to eat declicious food LOL not bitter food lol….

By: deafk

deafk — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 01:25:22 +0000

Based on my experiences, I have to agree with number 26., Summer, that there are so many illiterates. It all depends on what kind of person the customer behind you. If he or she looks educated, go ahead. If he or she looks “bummed” DO NOT bother, please, lol…

I remember that guy in the plane first class…. he and I wrote on paper, and I could not read his writings, oh my goodness.

So, hearies do get by and leave us the deafies in the dark…oh, yeah..

deafk