Where did I leave off? Yes, the after conference gathering at a local bar/pool hall…
It was really cool to see so many deafies hanging out and visiting. Clearly the deafies outnumbered the hearies to happened to be there termendously. I enjoyed watching the interactions and "close-knit" feel of the community. This is one thing I have identified over the years that "draws" me to ASL and the Deaf Community - their deep ties and lasting friendships.
Well there is always one rotten apple in the group - in this case about 3 rotten apples. At the pool table next to ours there was a group of late 20-something men out celebrating someone's divorce. (Should have been my first clue as to his ass-hole status). These guys were loud, half drunk already, and the most horrible example of the hearing community I can imagine. I was embarassed to be a hearie.
They were vocalizing deragitory remarks about my deaf friends, knowing they can't hear them, and being so rude. I overheard one of them YELLING "WTF, you can't even ask these people to get out of your f**king way when you are trying to shoot pool!!!" I was simmering. Of course I can hear every word they are slurring. I can hear the banter about what they wanted to do with the cute deaf girls. I can hear their opinions on the intelligence of the deaf folks and what they think deaf are only good for. Grrrr
Well my friend K was there and saw me upset. I told her some of what they were saying and she has some awesome lip-reading skills so she was on to these jerks. Well K is not a woman to be screwed with. She went up the the primary A-hole and confronted him. She told him (vocally) that all he had to do was tap the person on the shoulder and say "excuse me" and they will move. Then she told him he did not have to be an A-hole. After that, he kept YELLING "asshole, asshole" randomly and very loudly for the next 2 hours...
While I was glad to see K stand up to him, I bet she was not happy at the unwanted attention it got her the rest of the night. These guys kept talking about her and staring at her. The primary AH actually came up to her at one point all frisky-like and she had to tell him not to "f-ing touch her"
So I get that there are drunk immature jerks everywhere. It is part of life for everyone. I was just disappointed to see how badly they treated my friends and my adopted-community. These type of idiots would have picked on anyone who was not a white male, it just happened to be us that night.
I can see now why the deaf community can be wary of hearing folks. If these
fine specimines of hearing males come across as a representation of the hearing community, then I want out. I want to defect to the Deaf Community right away!
