Sometimes, I do things out of my comfort zone. I do it from ignorance, arrogance, or I’m pumped up on caffeine and sugar with the brain in neutral.
I truly didn’t know that Alaqua Cox was deaf. I saw a deaf interpreter at the table but I thought maybe that was for an attendee or maybe Alaqua was hard of hearing. I was wrong on both accounts. Nothing unusual about me begin wrong.
When it was my turn to get an autograph, I spoke the word, hello. I didn't look at the interpreter. Alaqua signed back. Then the caffeine and sugar took over. I signed: How are you.
I didn’t do it well but she
understood and signed back to me. A lot. And fast. And I as lost. The sign language
from college was 30 years old and heavily coated in dust and cobwebs and to be truthful, I was never very good.
I said I didn’t know more. Alaqua nodded and signed back. The
interpreter, said thanks for trying and keep practicing. I turned to leave but I paused. I said I wanted to try something. A joke.
Alaqua leaned back and I started. After the first sentence, I
knew she didn’t understand what I signed. That was bad. I blushed. I started
again. This time I signed and spoke.
The interpreter was signing what I was saying. I finished. There was no reaction. Then Alaqua signed back to me. I heard the interpreter: Thanks.
You still need to keep practicing.
She was patient and friendly but I knew I overstayed my welcome.
I signed: thanks. Chagrined and embarrassed I took my autograph. THEN my brain re-engaged and I wondered what I just did. I chuckled to myself. I was really out of my
comfort zone.
AH
PS I was asked about the joke. I'm updating the blog to clean up my post and to add the joke. Don't hate me after you read it.
A man walks into a bar with a pig under his arm.
The bartender asks, 'Where did you get him?'
The pig say, 'I won him in a raffle.'
