Good question. If I am in your shoes I would demand the manager to explain the truth to people behind me why the order is taking so long so they will know that I do not cause the long delay. I will be curious what others will suggest you to do about this next time. But as for me I will make sure manager handles this situation.

U did right thing …. people cant read that is not your fault they are total jackass as brain washing… either they need back to school what steak mean to u ?? if people watch me I will say hey what are u look at uh ?

Oh Boy! It happens to me once a while! They can’t read at all! I usually ask other customer(s) to read aloud what I want! It works very well! 🙂

I would write and show them the note that “The clerk and cook cannot read my order!”
Some will realize of your demise and some will still remain biased and annoyed anyway, u can’t please everyone. They only have food in their mind.

well, id stay cool and ignore other customers. they will just say “oh cool, oh that so illiterate, blah….” how am i supposed to read their thoughts? i just stay cool and let karma cover this part, 🙂

M. Johnson, that is a brilliant idea! Asking other customer/s to read my order out loud because the person behind the counter can’t read. This way, nobody is insulted (I should hope!) and everyone understands each other. I do believe this is a great way of working together as a team. 🙂 Many thanks for sharing this.

Joey,

A good topic to raise our consciousness!

I have, in the past, experienced similar situations as the situation you just presented. Not quite exactly the same but in the same “category” and I know that many other Deaf people have had similar experiences like that.

On my ever-confident and bold “S” days, I would gesture, with a nice smirk on my face, and shrug my shoulders, with my both hands raised in the air, indicating my response as in “What do they know???” Also, there were times when I gestured as in “They’re nuts…” (with my index finger circling my ear.) Other times, I stood there smiling while observing their actions of ignorance. I also threw in some chuckles as well, with an appearance of a ‘smart cookie.’

And there were some days when I was just too tired and without any energy in putting up a “fight” with the public ignorance, I walked away, shaking my head and making a face showing my disappointment.

There were some occasions when some “ally-minded” people tried to back me up by getting involved gently in the situation. When all the miscommunications were addressed and solved, I smiled and thanked them, signing THANK-YOU. (Oftentimes, they became ‘high’ upon receiving the sign for THANK-YOU…They couldn’t resist that!) 😉

It happened to me many times. I recently learned to use a person behind me to read what I had ordered if the food was wrong.

Ha, I don’t have an answer, but I have an observation, and a question of my own:

My observation: I like how you ask people what they would do, instead of telling them what you did. This is an interesting twist on how it usually goes in the vlogs/blogs… where the deaf author tells others what he did, and as a result is ceaselessly bashed for it… NO MATTER WHAT HE DID! By asking the question “What would you do?”, you’ve set up a situation in which people cannot respond with reactions that would fall under the category of “crab theory.”

Now my own question: to anyone out there guilty of bashing someone for reacting in a way you personally do not agree with, or of suggesting what another person “should have done” (which really does nothing other than make the blog author feel defensive)… were you ready to pile on and bash away as you watched this vlog? Be honest. No need to answer me… just think about it for a second.

This vlog is the best response to crab theory that I have seen yet. Asking the question: “What would you do?” makes it impossible for others to bash you for what you actually DID.

But now it’s going to be very interesting to see if the responses to the question foster a “crab theory” fight among those who disagree with each other’s reactions…

My reaction is pretty much the same as SDA’s. It has happened to me before and i have noticed that it actually depends on the mood i am in on that day AND how intimate i was with other customers behind me. So it varies from day to day with my mood and situation to situation with my connection-ship with those customers, ha. However, knowing myself damn well, i would be inclined to promote starting a gesture with the nearest customer to see if a connection forms then there goes my luck with being able to show him/her the piece of paper i wrote on and they will see how clearly AND literate i had written.

Fun topic, Joey!

Joey,

Were you ever tempted to just forget the whole thing by walking away to another food place to order something different? I did a similar thing not long ago when the guy kept screwing up my order that there was no sense trying to tell him exactly what I wanted. I was rather in a hurry so it was easier to walk away to show that they have lost my business!

I want to add something here. If the person who takes order do not understand me at all…I usually ask other person to take over OR to ask person behind me to order meal for me. I try not to give up and walk away because I don’t want others to treat me the same way. I loathe for anyone (hearing person) to say “never mind” to me. I always tell the person that it is totally unacceptable. I almost never have problem to tell them that. I usually tell them that I have to be patience and therefore I expect the same treatment from them. In your case, people were in long line behind you…I would have manager informed customers why the delay had occurred. I hope I have explained better this time.

OMG… what I would do is to write a note clearly “FORGET IT, DISREGARD my order and you CAN’T even read this simple sentences!!” after the specific order was failed then walk away. There is plenty of food around the airport and Thank God that I can eat everything not limited to international food 🙂

*shaking head* What I would do is, for them to understand, write I WANNA COW on WHITE, nothing else…no YELLOW, no RED… something like that.

Like my wife always says, “How could you and your uneducated kind exist on this earth?”

Who says Life is fair!

Just bear with it. Go on and try your creativity in solving any problem. but don’t feel so deafy and demand the equal access, etc. ha. we shall overcome and survive with almost anything. i suspect that nowadays the better-educated Deafies barely could go throught the Hearing world? Oh yes, I’d expect some biting-backs” now. i am ready!
i just lovin’ it now working in the Hearing world as it is so quiet and simple. Me – deaf / dummy? ha.

Typical Deaf Day! joey, If I were in your shoes, I would do the same thing. Not too long ago I asked manager why they can read cashier language and they cannot understand my writing. Manager gestured me to go behind the counter to see the cashier….guess what… pictures of food on each key….
Look the two boards behind you. “Got Extra Time?” Internet Services Available throughout the airport Need Data Port? i figured that one out…it means some day we will have our PDA’s be plug in cashiers without communicate with people behind counter.
***

I have been through with this before. I had to write large and clearly simple words again after I realized they are frustrated reading my writing.

They can’t read while working fast food in airport?!?

Joey-

Well, from my experiences, most customers know that most clerks couldn’t read or write. The clerks or cooks are from different countries and they just moved here. They accept any job that may earn a little for their living.

If I were you, I would be patience and empathy. At the same time, I would ask customers or a manager to work with me to solve this matter. And we don’t need to look down on the clerks. We know what it is like when other people look down on us because of our deafhood.

If a person is insecure about what will other people think of him or her, it is obvious that she/he has an issue.

Look at the Amish Families; they have well disciplines with how to handle their emotions. They forgive the killer who murdered their children. They set up a charity for the killer’s family.

My point is all of these external circumstances that occur in the scenario of this world, are the reflection of what we have inside ourselves.

By the way, it’s nice to see you back again.

Aidan

I am laughing! it’s happen to me all the times. And I personally don’t give a damn what customers think of me! because I am a taxpayer, I do my civil services so to hell with them what they think!

Wow, Joey!

Same thing happened to me! Realized some cannot read my order food. I did keep my copy of paper with me after I ordered food. I got wrong food, I did asked for manager. Manager gave money back to me and I throw the wrong order food in the trash. Went to vending machine for a small snack before took another plane took off.

I like Carl Schroeder’s response.

I’d probably do like what you did.

I like M.Johnson and Carl’s way of handling it, I’ve never thought of that 😀

Regarding your impromptu Vlog, I too am encountering an increasing number of people
who cannot read. I meet them at restaurants, fast food outlets, car service facilities such as Wal-Mart’s tire service and oil change, and in the classroom where I teach ASL. I get some students who simply cannot follow print instructions on tests or the syllabus.

I believe the problem is a combination of two things. One, schools are not educating students with the skills my generation took for granted which includes serious reading and writing focus. Two, we are seeing the integration of both legal and illegal newcomers in our society who haven’t bothered or lack the
opportunity to acquire reading and writing skills.
Yet are hired in various capacities. For the Deaf this makes our lives harder in day to day interaction with hearing people.

What would I have done in your shoes? I’d have made it plain that person can’t read. Why should I endure public disgrace for their sake? The public already has gross and perpetuated misconceptions about the Deaf, we don’t need more.

I got to hand it to M Johnson for her/his brilliant idea!

What would I do?

I did what you did…but I’ve lost it a few times. I made a mistake of making a dirty look like, “Are you really THAT stupid or what?!!”

But what will I do NEXT time?

If it’s a long line – then I’ll show the paper to a customer (preferably a jerk one because there’s always AN impatient person in line and I’m sure this is a great way to relieve their annoyance!) and pointing out at they messed up. It would be clear to them, I think.

If it’s a shorter line, I’d wait until they finished my messed up order and show the person (any person – behind the counter and/or in line) by pointing at the paper and at the food to show MISMATCHING order.

My hubby is hearing and he always gets messed up orders at Hungry Howie’s, a chained pizza store.

I always check my food before I leave because I have higher chances of getting wrong orders than he does.

Yup, typical experience I would think alot of us have in our Deaf stories bag.

If it was me, it would depend on my mood. If I am not in a hurry, I will just give the workers hard time, and not worry about the people around me. If I am in a bad mood, I would still give the workers even harder time, and draw people around me to the issue.

Its similar to another situation where I ask for a paper and pen, and they just give me a pen, so I proceeded and tried to write on their countertop until they rushed me a piece of paper, duh!

That speaks for education system here… It wouldn’t help to write something to customers who were waiting behind you. Ignore them. There are many ignorant and illiterate people.

It has happened to me! I understand the “mortification” you experienced. Like a few already said, I would have asked the person behind me to read aloud what I wanted.

I suggest that next time you would sign ASL to them if they might understand you instead of writing.

I usually do what Carl Schroeder does and show the person behind me with a gesture that the person behind the counter can’t tell if my note is rightside up or upside down.

John F. Egbert

If I were in your shoes, I would show the paper what I order food to few hearing people who waiting for service, see what did I order? That might create a gossip spread who is the right, don’t embrassed yourself.
It happened to me sometimes. When I was in long lines and patiently and when it was my turn, I was ready to order, I wrote down and they have nervous to ask me if other people can order ahead of me while I write down the order. I face and I say NO! They were really embrassed because everyone see it. I bet it is nothing new to deaf people.

Now, that is a brilliant question, “what would you do if it happened to you?” If I were you, I would say in my note,” Sadly, they hired those employees who can’t read English” before passing the note to the people in line so they wouldn’t think low opinions about one or all like. That, I will walk away feeling good instead of being humiliated by those in the line.

It happens to me often. The problem is that the managers hire people who speak well and do not bother to ask them whether or not they can read. If I were you, report to the manager that I received the wrong order and wanted to have money back. About people’s stare, ignore them. Walk to another place to order or go to the vending machine to get snacks. If you stare back to people, they do not care. They just enjoyed watching you as an entertainment.

I agree with Chris Heuer completely. I am THRILLED to see your posting asking a question rather than “telling”… Very appropriate for the situation. Not all vlogs necessarily require a question, some are just that, “telling,”… However, I really like the way you have approached this. THAT evelvates discourse and exchange of ideas, which is a great thing for the Deaf community in this day and age of technology and a spread out, small community. Way to go, Joey!

SkyBlue

That happened many times when I was in DC when I was Gallaudet student, especially at Union Station where they have many people who doesn’t know how to read English.

What I did was different every time, depending on my mood. It was like what everyone else said here, like asking person behind me to read out loud (sometimes, the person would offer to do so), ask for manager or for other cashier to come to our assistance, etc.

It happened to me many times . Lots of people couldn’t read my orders! They are so simple words not the whole sentence and They still could n’t read !! I let them made my orders and i checked to see if they are right or not . If it is wrong order, I requested them to make another order . sometimes the manager came to me and ask why i wait for the order and i told him that ur worker can’t read my order . It embarrassed him It works !

i had help from the customers stand behind me at very rarely time. she read it for the worker to understand my order on paper !! It makes the worker so nervous !!!

It happened to me when I was at subway my next man who stand to me he was willing to help me ordered what I want in my sandwich He ws very helpful I thank him! I told the manager that he need to hire someone who can read!

What restaurant did you go in?? Did it serve any kind of meat?? Looks like it only had chicken to serve and nothing else..sorry to hear of your trouble..Did the manager get Phillisbury steak sandwich for you?

Good question – I get embarrassed very often but learned to accept it as being Deaf in a majority Hearing world. However, I tend to look for a manager when I had problems with the cashier and tend to gesture a lot with the cashier if he/she can’t understand what I wrote. But thankfully, i live in an area where a lot of Deaf people are located, making it easier for me to order food in restaurants. I used to live near Chicago – forget it! With so many foreigners, it can be very frustrating and drastic!

I have had the same problem as you had. I keep the note with me after I order in case they bring some wrong food and I show the waitress the same note I did earlier that solves the problem.
One day in 1964 when my husband Richard was a young man starting his first year at work, he went to McDonalds at lunch hour to order some choc milkshake, french fries and a cheeseburger. When he said “cheeseburger, the person behind the counter said “What?”. Richard repeated it , the person leaned a way over the counter and said again “What?” Richard’s face turned red and left without his order. When he left, there were four lines of people (probably mumbled at themselves) at that time.

If I am in your shoe or should I say it happens a lot for me anyway. Those people who could not read but can work at the job, I would say wow and praise for them because they work! I have been working in the literacy world as practitioner and consultation for years. Therefore, I have good heart for those who cannot read.

Imagine when some deaf people could not write good English and what would worker think of… I hope they did not mind.

People in line up, ignore them. Only two minutes later, they will forget that. Why sweat over small stuffs.

That is Canadian point of view!
Smile

Hi SkyBlue:

I thank you for your comment, but I hope that I was clear in my contempt for those who bash people NO MATTER WHAT THEY DO. In other words there is no “right” thing to do so far as they’re concerned… what really set them off is the fact that you stood up for yourself AT ALL.

It’s internalized oppression at it’s worst. Thank God we all seem to be becoming a bit more aware of that…

Joey, at first I was thinking I’ve been lucky — this has never happened to me in an airport. But thinking further, I realized I’ve been doing other things than writing my order. Lots of fast food places like Subway or KFC have numbers instead of names for the food. After you’ve done it a few times, you can predict the routine and gesture yes or no. The foreign born workers often use gesture themselves because they aren’t fluent in English. Sometimes there is a menu on the counter with pictures and I point to what I want. I also tend to go to places that don’t have a long line, and I order ready-made sandwiches when possible. These adaptations have become almost second nature by now. What I’d like to see is all restaurants making alternate communication modes available because deaf people are not the only ones who do not speak. As for hearing people staring at me, I do not even notice them most of the time. I’ve become enured to providing free entertainment in public places by signing with my friends. You just never know what a stranger is thinking. It could be “wow, sign language is beautiful, I wanna learn,” or it could be, “dang, I really have to go to school to read and write English, I’m so ashamed,” or it could be, “Wonder if it’ll rain today?” or it could be, “who is that good looking guy over there with a notepad?”

Hi Joey. I have a story to add to yours, but from a late-deaf person’s experience.

Sometimes I will go into a Chinese food restaurant or a Subway Sandwich place and order a meal or a sandwich. I don’t like dark green peppers or onions. I have very specific choices. I sign while speaking for myself when I order (my voice is clear and still sounds like I was hearing), but the order takers or the young sandwich makers seem to always get my order confused, even when I’m standing right there trying to tell them what not to put on my food or sandwich!

When they ask me things to clarify or they ask me if I want this or that added, I usually cannot lip-read them because many people have accents.

They can’t stop what they are doing and write because they would have to take off their gloves, find a pen and paper and then put gloves back on again. Too time consuming. They just stare at me and if I don’t answer their question, they just go ahead and guess like they make the decisions for me. Ugh! I keep telling them what I want and don’t want, but they still sometimes get it wrong.

The interesting thing is, when I go into the sandwich place, or Chinese food place, or wherever, i find that when I write my food order down specifically what I want, and do NOT use my voice – only written orders, signs and gestures – they are forced to follow my written order. I usually get the right order when I write it down and do NOT talk. Ha.

I haven’t yet encountered cooks or order takers who cannot read, but I thought my story might add to your story. The bottom line: Deaf people continue to be challenged with unequal access issues like these. It sucks.

Wouldn’t it be easier if all the fast food places and drive up windows had a computer with pictures of what you want to order? We could just type things in while we wait in our car or wait in line. Maybe one day we will have robot computers who take our orders by computer. … In a perfect world….. sigh.

LaRonda
http://www.earofmyheart.com

I have the same experience many times. I got to the point I do not write my orders any more. I write in a neat print style and it proves to be more effective. Also, I would print number instead of spell it out. Fast food menu usually have a number attached to each order. In case, the person is illerate, I would ask for a manager. I pay what I want to eat, nothing else.

Joey, people behind you look at you because they admire your courage to get exact what you want.

I’d make it known that the server couldn’t read. I get tired of going through this time over time again and bein gmade to look like a fool. By all means…next time, make a HUGE sign and show everyone staring at you. 😉

We are the same experience to confront the cashier at any fast food restaurants. It happened to me several times and my writing was very simple and concise for my order. Ironically, the cashier can’t able to read or to comphrend my order as an example, 1-Turkey Cheeseburger, 1-baked fries, and a large cup of iced tea. Like we learned in math class with word problems. Remember? Same manner, the cashiers should know how to pick up our languages.
I wondered why the managers hired employees without reading/comphrending the languages. They should take a short examination during the interview procedures.
Not only to deaf patrons, hearing have the similar problem to order something. My hearing friend ordered tacos at Taco Bell without sour cream that she has allergic with. As a result, she picked up the order and was ready to eat it. Suddenly, she tasted it as it is and pissed off at the cashier for not listening her request. Then replaced it without sour cream. She complained to me about the foreigners at fast food that can’t comphrend in English at all.

I lived in Rochester, New York on RIT campus. I have been into fast food restaurants (McDonald’s, DiBella’s (my favorite Italian old fashioned submarine), Atlanta Bread Company) where the employees know sign language. That’s very convenience for me to communicate in ASL to order food to take out or to dine in. Without paper to communicate. I wish that accessible that should provide anywhere in the U.S. for deaf and hard of hearing patrons to visit.

Joey, thank you for your sharing upon your personal experience. Keep vlogging and sharing our positive thoughts to convey our community to restore our better lives.

I will not suggest what you should do but impart my philosophy on this. Life is what 10% happens and 90% of how you react to it. How you react certainly determines the outcome. Your attitude will determine how you will react. Your thoughts and perceptions of people/life will determine your attitude. Your experiences will determine your thoughts and perceptions. The 10% of life determines your experiences. Ain’t life grand? Heh

BTW love your vlogs.

Donnie

I am not good in English so i make one vlog in ASL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70g3si5aKFo

Greetz a Belgian girl Hilde

Tough!!! I would take the first order and grin…

But if I really wanted a specific meal and am stuck with the people looking down on me, maybe it would be best to write a note to the manager,
“Sir, due to the fact your employees cannot read well, I am looked upon as a scapegoat by the customers behind me. You owe an apology to me and an explanation to the customers to vindicate me of this unnecessary embarrassment.”
I could stand there until the manager tells the customers. Whew!

This will be a lesson learned by the manager and the employees… at the same time the customers who do not know about the situation.

That happened to me all the time.

At that time I didn’t have a job and looked for a job… I went to Mcdonalds. I wrote a list of what I wanted to order. The cashier took my note. He read it again and again so finally the manager came to help him. I wrote a note to the person “you can’t understand English but you have a job. I can understand English but I don’t have a job.” The manager, of course, took the note and read. He didn’t say anything.

Your brother, Mike hates mayo !!!

Joey,

I can envision a mental picture of your plight because I have been there. I would end up asking a customer behind me to read my note in English to a clerk. Voilà. 🙂

Joey, remember many immigrants are everywhere that’s what I assume… it’s fun to watch… U did it right…. bet that many of them are unable to read… Thanks for ur sharing!!!
Grins!

Hey all,

It is great to see your thoughts and comments on what you would do in this situation. I will re-read all comments carefully and respond in my next vlog.

I cannot say since I wasn’t there, but I would imagine that it may be obvious to others that the workers couldn’t understand you, with the manager coming in to help them. They probably heard the workers talking and the manager instructing them. Unfortunately it isn’t unheard for fast food workers not to be able to read English.

I think you did just fine. 🙂

I’d say to the other customers “Wow, your people can’t read!” Nah… What I would do Is probably walk to them and ask few if they understand what I was ordering. If they do, then I’d point to the workers and shrug or something like that.

Oh boy! One of those things that causes obstacles for us at times! When people take my order, they don’t get it right, I always try to look over the kitchen, if they are cooking something wrong, I will say, “Hey!” until I get their attention and tell them to come over here and point that this is what I want, not this one. I notice when you are at the airport, people are time-pressed and can give you annoyed looks if you are holding up the line but I just basically ignore them. I have never wrote back to the people in line to tell them that the cashier didn’t understand me, maybe will do that next time. Maybe that is why Joey felt uncomfortable because he could feel the vibes from people in the line being annoyed with him, is that right? It is so extremely frustrating at times but we have so much patience than hearing people. Imagine if the cook got the wrong order for a hearing person, would that hearing person yell at that cashier or passively accept the order as it is? I wonder… Because sometimes I wonder if hearing people think we are “spolied” and demand things and they feel that they don’t act that way when it comes to them.

Joey;

In reality occurrences, we would do different reactions depend on our moods that day! Your request on this blog with several comments to enable us to adjust our better ways to reduce or zero on audism. For sure, we would like to have your other more examples of deaf problems in any stituations. Look fwd ur next ones!

It never happened to me but I would ask a hearing person behind me to speak for me.

I’m reading some interesting comments and that’s a really good topic. I can see that there are some different ways to do. I just told a friend about this topic. A friend said “I would sign “Crazy” to the people in line, pointing at the cashier who is crazy when I leave with my order”. (A friend was joking) Seriously, we like one of the ways to ask the next customer behind me, to read it loud to the cashier so that way we won’t hold up the people in line.

I’m looking forward to your response in your next vlog after you re-read our comments.

Lisa Covell

Jeeez it happen to me many times at Union Station at the Food Court.. many of them are foreigners.. they cant read English on menu . I had to point on picture of food that I want to order. I dont care what people are saying behind me… sometimes they were staring at me and I had to look back I’d ask them what do you want (in guesture ) and they were shock and look away or walk away. Where is the manners for being staring on people? One time a lady was watching me and helped me order for me by her voice.. I thanked her. Oh or perhaps they were shock and never saw deaf person in thier life. It could be many ways to shock people behind you..whatever they have in thier minds.

I would climb over the counter and start cooking myself 🙂

I will yell in plain english, CAN YOU READ?!?! Then show the paperwork to the person whos standing behind to speak for me (praying that person behind me can read too!!)

Peace!

Good job Hilde, I’m inspired by you expressing your thoughts in ASL clearly.

Smile! Nothing new…sigh…wish all cashiers know ASL so we would not have problems.
If I were in your shoes, I would not give up until I get right order because it is what I pay for. Most restaurants would refund your money back if they give you wrong order.

Todd Wlliams,

That’s so funny… climbing over the counter and cooking for yourself. LOL.

Sometimes when I’m in a restaurant, I’ll take the notepad and pen (gently!) from the server and clearly write down my order for them. I have never had a problem and my order hasn’t been screwed up very often doing it this way.

Been there, done that.. maybe not at an airport but have had that happen with me.

I usually stand firm and politely ask to see the manager (I think the manager needs to see the problem for themselves as they ARE supposed to be serving a diversity of people from all walks of life.

I think the ideal solution would be to have a photo menu on the counter.. (like placemats).. some fast food chains have them and its easy to point out what you want. Then they ‘get the picture’.

Wow, so many comments from various people after viewing your vlog.

I, too, experienced similar experience that you and other people have. Sometimes hand gestures are used, sometimes I point at the menu, sometimes I inquire for the manager. I don’t care what people behind me think or observe what the cashier/order taker and I are doing. I’m just minding my business and trying to get what I want for a meal.

On the other hand, it’s imperative that a job is to have literate skills in order to communicate with people from all walks of life, not just to listen to their voices. I wonder how they filled out the employment application papers? They had help from outside, perhaps?

Sigh.

(P. S. Big hello to #38. Brian L, hope you could play wallyball with us again!)

Awaking!

I think next time I will involve a bystander to provide for the situation.

Yeah, it happened to me too. Once I went to Burger King and I clearly wrote down what I wanted on my double whopper. It took the clerk a while before she understood my desire for NO dressing like mayo or anything like that. I was shocked that she did not get the idea of no mayo or any other dressing; it is not as if it is weird request or something! Yeah, it is sad to discover that we deaf people are better writers sometimes.

humm i wouldn’t worry about what those people behind you because they don’t know what’s happening between you and the server. I usually blunt to the person who taking my orders “do you have a reading problem??” and ” are you afraid to write down what you don’t understand??” after you are done with the writing you can show the people behind you so they will understand what’s going on.. Yea I tend to BLUNT!! Tired of games of hearing people are playing!!

Joey,
I was at Utah for Deaflympics and had a quick lunch with Ridor and other friends. We were in the line…and there’s a menu on the wall. We pointed what we wanted. They looked at us %#%%! We pointed at the menu for 2nd time. No good…I asked person behind me…”Tell them”. *sigh*

First of all, the airport restuarants surely violate the ADA law for NOT providing the pictural menu for people of all languages at the public facility like an airport.

You could do is write the brief message and pass it to people in line and read what happened between you and the fast food cashier. So let the people draw their own conclusion. Life is too short to worry about what other people think of you as a deaf person or other deaf people as problematic ones.

I defended you in Aidan Mack’s blog.

You are always a true gentleman in many ways unlike other people. You already do your best as you could.

Robert L. Mason (RLM)

After viewing Hilde of Beligum’s vlog. She and Carl Schroeder definitely use the common sense like recruiting the person next to you if awkward situation arises.

Thank you, Hilde. Want to see more of your vlog presentation from time to time. Is there any deaf Beligum vlog community? 🙂

Robert L. Mason (RLM)

I can tell you that as a former customer service representative (7 years), people are gonna glare at you for whatever reasons, whether it was your fault, my fault, their fault, etc. So, just worry about yourself.

The best solution is to either ask someone else to help you or have someone behind you to help. If nothing works, then get the manager. These people are trained to key in the exact buttons on the registers what they hear the customers ordering. So, when you gave them a note of your order, it threw them off. Sure, it wasn’t exactly smooth service. However, to them (the business entity), what’s one “flaw” out of every x number of smooth service?

So, make the best of it.

if i were in your shoes, i would laugh first and show note to hearing person standing behind me. i write note.. that lady cannot read, please speak to her for me. it happened me very often at wendys mc donalds where many low function mexican worker. if u go to wendy near unversity. no problem. since many students across from school work to earn for tutions. i enjoy watching your mini movie. u must be asl tecaher? james utzman

It is nearly 2 years now, I’ve stopped writing my orders on paper -n- pen. I just come up the the counter and sign the orders.

90% of times, I’ve gotten my orders delivered correctly.

You will be amazed how many people out there DO understand your sign language!!! Even though they cannot sign, but they CAN read your sign language.

I urge you to try it, just STOP writing anything down a piece of paper. If the person doesn’t understand you, s/he will get the paper and pen for you without you asking for it.

Again, you will be surprised how often your orders will be received correctly if you just stand up there and sign what you want your meal to be done.

I’m curious if you true-biz try it.

-Sean
Gone 2 years without writing my orders and received them just fine what I have asked for.

I believe it happens to most of us in any place where the obstacles are between hearing and Deaf people. When I returned to the States from my homeland, Aussie, I was on my long line with other travelers in the international custom. Prior to meet the immigration and naturalization officers, I wrote a note to let them know that I was Deaf. Guess what, they brought in their Asian interpreter. Oh my gosh, I replied in written that I did not know their spoken language; I only understood Auslan, ASL, or written English. We had a nice grin and they had to bring me to their head office and everything had worked out well afterwards. I believe to share this concern with a hearing consumer in back of you which will eliminate time consuming for all of you, hearing consumers, and the employees. Keep us informed about your outcomes.

Call for the manager to get it straight. Don’t worry about people waiting in line behind you. You wont see them again. You can tell them sorry about that.
Tom

i usually would just walk off… because… you know, there are gazillion-zakillions of hearing peep in this world, not much of em for us to concern or impress for. and they probably will forget all about it as soon as when they hungrily chow down their white-red-yellow cow in buns, (not chicken!)
only in a very small percentage of certain hearing people are gifted with being educated and able to understand about Deaf(hood)…
you know.. you only can give one grain of sugar to an ant, one by one to make up a big pile… otherwise ur gunna squash this tiny hearing ant.

Joey, Outstanding!!!!

When I order food I often got the wrong order served to me. I dont go depend on other people because that will be calling myself dependant on other people to do my ordering. I will finish what I started by doing it all myself. First, I will request manager or their boss to come and show them what I ordered and got the wrong order. Often they will redo the order and give me an apology for their mistakes. It gives me the satisfactory answer that I am looking for. It gives me empowerment for doing it myself. Abt waiting people, Tough &6% for them because I will never see them again.

A quote that has always been very strong for me and other deaf people is ” Deaf people can do anything but HEAR”
OUTSTANDING topic!!!!

My guess is the person or persons hired to take your order cannot read. Was it a person of different enthicity other than white? Was it a young person? regardless, what you’ve been through is no excuse. I would have asked for a manager and write a note to the person behind you saying that you’re sorry that they had to wait so long in line simply because the person who took your order could not read. Sad isn’t it. Everyone has a disability that is not always apparent. You have yours – deafness and that person either is illiterate or did not bother to learn to read/write the language of our country.
As for being embarrased, well…be strong and assertive and you will go far in life.

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

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….

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.